Altered History
by DemonUchiha17
Summary: What would happen if Madara never had the chance to leave Konoha? An unexpected force prevents the seperation and battle of the founding fathers of the leaf. How will the relationship between Hashirama and Madara be affected? HashiXMada in future chapters
1. Chapter 1

"I'll bear the burden of your hated and we'll die together." Those words echoed through Madara's mind as he thought back to events of earlier that evening. The whole thing was remarkably similar to the conversation he had with Hashirama before their final battle at the valley of the end. A small laugh escaped his throat as he corrected his thought. The declarations were exactly the same. However, the First never could land the final blow to kill Madara. He could only weaken him and hope he never tried to attack the village again. After decades of living a revenge driven existence that had led to nothing but a near extinct clan and many failed attempts at gaining more power, Madara desired to shake things up once again.  
>-<p>

After many years of bloody conflict, peace had finally taken root in the war torn lands that would give birth to the great ninja villages. Prosperity seemed to go hand in hand with the long desired peace but everything was far from perfect. Disagreements between the founding fathers of the hidden leaf village created the chaos that was now surrounding them. Hurried footsteps could be heard rustling through the trees in the bordering wilderness. Ninja were swarming all over the place, taking off in various directions in a flash, as if they were in a desperate search for someone or something. Among these shinobi, was the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. His dark hues showed nothing but determination but the rest of his features betrayed him and revealed that he was deeply troubled by the current events. 'Where are you….. Madara?' He thought to himself as he quickened his pace.

In the distance one of the shinobi came upon a terrifying scene and called out to their leader. "LORD HOKAGE! Over here, I found him!" The dark haired leader snapped out his thoughts and took off in the direction of the voice of his comrade. When he finally arrived his eyes widened in pure horror. In the middle of a field laid the body of the man they were searching for, the other founder of the village, Uchiha Madara. Quickly he rushed over to his rival's side, totally taken back by his condition. The Uchiha was lying in a large puddle of his own blood. The red liquid had even begun to stain his beautiful black hair. There was a rather large hole in his chest and his battle armor was cracked to bits. The rest of his body had minor scratches but that was the least of anyone's concern at the moment. At this very moment there was no time to waste, Madara would die of his injuries if something wasn't done.

Hashirama crumbled to his knees as he looked down at the dying form of his closest friend and rival. He felt totally responsible for what had happened. As the Hokage sat there in total horror blaming himself for everything his younger brother was trying to get his attention with little success. After several failed attempts at calling out his name, Tobirama took a deep breath and shouted, "HASHIRAMA!" Instantly the elder man spun around to see his white haired brother staring down at him. "Brother we need to act." Hashirama got out of his pity fest for the time being and then turned to his shinobi. "Quickly, get Madara back to the village for emergency treatment." The Konoha ninja didn't waste any time following their leader's orders and carefully retrieved Madara's injured body and returned back to the village.

The red light of the hospital emergency room shown as the medics quickly began to work on healing Madara's wounds before death could claim him. Outside the first Hokage was pacing back and forth looking rather worried. This younger brother looked up from where he was sitting and let out a small sigh, "Brother if you keep doing that, you are going to burn a hole in the floor. Madara is one tough bastard, I'm sure he'll pull through even with those injuries."

Hashirama stopped in his tracks and then turned to his younger brother Tobirama. "I'm well aware of Madara's strong will, Tobirama. The two of us have fought together on many different occasions and each time, even when his back was against the wall he wouldn't back down. It's just this whole thing is my fault. If I didn't…"

"Stop it, Hashirama. That Madara had it coming to him. You have a village to run and he was undermining everything we were trying to do. You have no fault in this." Tobirama stated trying to make his brother understand that he was not to blame. Even though it was true, Hashirama's expression didn't change. He still looked on with concern written all over his face. Madara was his best friend, even if the stubborn Uchiha wouldn't admit it, there was no denying their strong connection. "As his friend Tobirama, I should have been able to do more. What right do I have to be Hokage, if I can't even save one friend?"

The younger of the two wanted to say something in response but he was absolutely lost for words. Hashirama had always felt responsible when one of their comrades was hurt, even if it wasn't through his own actions. He treated everyone as though they were an extension of himself or a member of their family. There was no denying that he and Madara were having troubles. The two had never really seen eye to one on anything especially when it came to leadership. Madara had always lead his clan with a firm fist and intimidation while in contrast, Hashirama had chosen to go with a softer approach, treating everyone as equals. The Uchiha leader was convinced that the Senju were trying to take over and defeat them once and for all while they were enjoying the peace that they had gained with the treaty. This belief is what prompted Madara to leave the village and got him in the tough situation he was in now.

After what seemed like an eternity to the Senju brothers, the red light finally went out and revealed one of the medics. Hashirama quickly turned to him and started bombarding him with questions. The young medic let out a small laugh as he placed his hands out signaling to their leader to calm down. "Lord Hokage, everything is fine. Madara did sustain significant injuries but his condition is stable for the time being. However, he's not out of the woods just yet. He lost a great deal of blood and his chakra levels are rather low. We've gone ahead and given him several transfusions but it will take time before he's well enough to move about on his own."

"Has he regained consciousness?" Hashirama questioned, hoping he didn't slip into some sort of coma. The medic shook his head slightly but had a confident expression on his face. "He's resting comfortably now. You may sit with him if you want sir." With that Hashirama thanked the medical corp for all their hard work and joined Madara in the hospital room. The Hokage let out a small sigh as he reached over and took Madara's hand into his own, looking down at him with a sorrowful expression. Normally Hashirama wasn't this emotional but this was his best friend and rumored lover. His heart just couldn't take all this in one day. First Madara storms out of the village and then he nearly gets himself killed. Hashirama was still trying to think of a possible explanation for all this. Madara, like himself was on the top of the ninja world when it came to power. It didn't seem possible that anyone could have done this much damage.

Tobirama peeked his head in the door and as he entered, Hashirama turned to him and spoke in his usual voice, "Tobirama, I want you and a group of Anbu to investigate the battle site. Get me as much information as possible on the situation. I would also ask you to tighten security around here. There is a dangerous shinobi on the loose and if they could do this to Madara, god only knows what could happen to this village."

The younger brother nodded in response. "Right away, brother." With that he quickly exited the room to complete the tasks he was given. Hashirama then turned back to face Madara who was resting there rather comfortably. Tears started to form in his eyes as he rose Madara's hand, muttering, "I'm sorry… this is my fault."

"You've always been soft Senju." Suddenly came Madara's voice. The Uchiha opened his eyes and stared right at his eternal rival. His once peaceful expression turned to one of annoyance. Hashirama was shocked and then a look of relief suddenly came over him. "Why did you bother coming after me? Didn't I already make my intensions perfectly clear?"

The black haired Hokage lightly shook his head as he gazed down at Madara. "You still don't get it, do you? It's because I'm… I'm your friend Madara. No matter what you do to me I will always see you as such. Besides if I can't even save one friend, am I ever worthy of being Hokage?" Madara let out an annoyed tisk as he looked away slightly. "I'm just relieved that we found you in time. What exactly happened out there, anyway?"

The Uchiha turned his head and looked up at the ceiling trying to comprehend what just transpired a while ago. "As strange as it may sound, I was fighting… another me."

**To be continued…**

**A/N: Hey everyone. I'm back with a new story. I know things seem rather confusing right now but I shall explain in more detail in later chapters. HashixMada is one of my favorite pairings and this is my first shot writing about them. Hope you all enjoy it. Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

The once peaceful hospital room suddenly felt heavy with utter confusion. Hashirama's eyes widened as Madara tried to explain in detail exactly what happened. The idea that Madara was facing another 'him' didn't exactly ring true or sound feasible for that matter. At first the Hokage thought that Madara was giving him another one of his cryptic messages but why would he at a time like this. The more the Senju tried to understand what he meant the more confused he became. "What exactly does that mean, Madara? Don't you mean another Uchiha that shares the same feelings that you do?" Given Madara's mental state at the time he left, the whole thing sounded like it could have just been a subconscious interpretation. The older man lightly shook his head and waited patiently for his rival to explain further.

Madara himself wasn't entirely sure what he had dealt with. How else could you describe an individual that matches you to a t? Slowly he turned back to Hashirama and attempted to further explain the situation. "I'm not entirely sure myself. In all my years I hadn't seen anything like it. If it was a henge of some kind my Sharingan would have detected that immediately. However, my ocular powers didn't see anything of the sort. Whatever or whomever that was… it was a genuine article." Once again the Uchiha leader attempted to make sense of the events of early that day to no avail. How was it possible there was an Uchiha he couldn't account for? Furthermore, how did such an individual obtain the level of power that Madara witnessed?

While in deep thought, Hashirama lifted his hand and lightly bit down on his thumb nail. From what Madara was describing, it was possible to rule out an attacker outside the village that was capable of mimicking an opponent. In his mind that only left two distinct possibilities. They were either dealing with a bio engineered clone or the more unlikely situation, the individual was a traveler from the future. Of course the only way to figure that out was to get a detailed description of the perpetrator. The shocked expression melted from Hashirama's features as he continued to consider all the possibilities. "Madara, could you describe the perpetrator for me? Tobirama is already digging into that now, but it would be beneficial to see if the accounts match."

Madara took a deep breath to calm his thoughts and then slowly closed his eyes trying to recreate the image in his mind. Slowly the memory started to flash before him and in no time at all he spotted the individual in question. "The individual in question is roughly 56kg, 175cm tall with short upright black hair. Facial features are undistinguishable. The perpetrator's face is covered with an orange colored mask, with a single opening for this right eye. Through the opening there is a three _tomoe Sharingan. He is covered with a high necked black cloak that _also possesses several red clouds."

As Hashirama listened to the details about the attacker he was also getting a clear image in his own mind. The appearance wasn't exactly what he was expecting. How Madara first described the individual was still plaguing the Senju's mind. Exactly how was this individual another Madara? From the description, the build sounded about right, however the hair style was all wrong. As long as Hashirama had known Madara, the Uchiha had always had at least shoulder length hair. He wasn't really a fan of anything shorter, for some unknown reason. "That still doesn't explain your previous comment Madara. From what I understand so far we are indeed dealing with an Uchiha or someone who has obtained a Sharingan through secretive means. The body description is similar to yours but I wouldn't call it another you."

Once again Madara opened his eyes and glanced over at his rival with another annoyed expression. '_Every time…. Every freaken time he does this! No matter what we are disguising, Hashirama always second guesses what I've told him_. ' The Uchiha's mind continued to be filled with similar comments as he simply glared at the Senju getting his displeasure across. Almost instantly Hashirama got the message and let out a small nervous laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood. His body felt like it was being crushed by the weight of a house with the way Madara displayed his emotions. Madara took a few moments to regain his composure and slowly glanced toward the slightly ajar window. "There is no other way to explain it, Hashirama. Never before have I encountered an Uchiha who could better analyze my movements like this individual. Not one of my brethren could ever hope to counter my advances so skillfully, not even my younger brother. The only person to ever read me as well as that is YOU."

Hashirama was uncertain on how he should take the emphasis of Madara's words. Was he complementing him on his abilities or was he pointing a finger in his direction again? Quickly he reassured himself the latter wasn't the motivation for what Madara stated. It was completely irrational to blame him for the attack. After all he didn't possess a Sharingan and even if he did, he doubted he'd be able to manipulate it as well as a naturally born member of their family. Furthermore, Madara wasn't shy about declaring his thoughts openly. If he had any suspicions that Hashirama was behind it, he would declare it strongly and not hide behind vague messages. The Senju could only take his statement as a complement or at the very least a truthful evaluation of things. Hashirama's eyes softened slightly as he reached over and lightly placed his hand on Madara's in a reassuring gesture. "Regardless of whom this was that attacked you; I'll find him and get retribution for such an act. I swear Madara I will…."

In a flash, Madara slapped Hashirama's hand away and sent him another how dare you glare. The slap echoed in the room for a few moments and it ushered in yet another wave of tense air. The older man was taken aback by the sudden emotional outburst. He could only sit there is shock as he was once again bombarded with a stream of angry words. "Stay out of my business, Senju! This has nothing to do with you! I won't stand for you damaging my pride anymore. It's insulting to think that you believe I'm not capable of handling my own battles."

Hashirama formed a fist with his left hand and looked somewhat annoyed himself. As it was always the case the pair couldn't be in the same room for long without a heated argument breaking out. He slammed his hand down against the arms of the chair and sent his own fierce glance in the Uchiha's direction. "For god's sake Madara, why can't you understand how I view this relationship we share? There is no denying that for most of our lives we have been on separate sides, fighting against one another. However, those days are gone now and we've joined together to create this village… a place we can call home. During that time I've… no rather we've been able to come to understand each other and as a result of that we have developed a friendship. This friendship isn't a political show of cooperation, it's a genuine thing." The Senju trailed off for a minute, trying to fight back the emotions that were swelling up inside his gut. Sure he was angry that Madara was blind to the truth of their connection but at the same time he was afraid of having that bond broken. "To me you're a special part of my existence. Seeing you in such a state tears at my very core, for I know I'm responsible. So I want…."

Madara frowned slightly in response to Hashirama's comments. There was no denying that Hashirama was a hopeless romantic. All the time he would spout on for hours about friendship, family and love which often times annoyed the Uchiha to no end. "Listen Senju, I explained this before… You're not to blame. Naturally our ideals are polar opposites and obviously arguments are going to result because of those differences. What happened to was just an unfortunate incident of fate. Nothing more nothing less."

The older man looked back with a relaxed expression. No matter how heated he got under the color about things, Madara always had a knack of knowing exactly had to put out those fires. "Still… I want to make it up to you Madara. I betrayed your trust by not selecting you as my successor. Allow me to at least do that much. I swear on my family name, I will never do that again. If I do break my word, you can have my head as retribution."

The Uchiha let out a small laugh and lightly shook his head. "That's a little dramatic don't you think? However it is a reasonable offer since in all honesty I would come for your life if it came to that. Just know I still haven't forgiven you completely…" With those words the tense atmosphere started to dissipate and the two of them were once again able to enjoy each other's company.

Meanwhile, Tobirama and the team of Anbu he gathered had arrived at the battle sight. The younger Senju still couldn't fathom how anyone could defeat Madara as this intruder had. During the age of the wars, Tobirama had witnessed Madara's abilities first hand against his brother. To him Madara's powers were unworldly to say the least. Slowly he walked around the scene and leaned down to examine the tracks left behind. The footprints gave him an accurate picture of the individual they were looking for. 'How on earth is this possible…. It's nearly an exact match. Just who are we dealing with?'

The still unidentified stranger sat unperturbed by the searching of the leaf shinobi. He simply sat on a tall rocky outcrop and observed them from a far. Underneath his mask a small smile grew. "Things couldn't be going more smoothly for me. I'll observe things for a while longer before I return and finish the job in the present."

**To be continued…**

**A/n: First off I want to thank all those who commented on the first chapter. I'm glad to see people are enjoying this story so far. Slowly but surely I'll go into detail about what happened and how we got to this point. Once again, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter and I'll try my best to update soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

Feverishly Tobirama continued his efforts to locate the unknown intruder that nearly slain the companion of his beloved elder brother. No stone was going to be left unturned with this massive man hunt. Hashirama was not going to tolerate failure and Tobirama knew that fact very well from experience. His brother was a peaceful man, but once his loved ones were in danger he would become as ruthless and relentless as even Madara. Of course in this case he had to be. If the Senju didn't track down the perpetrator then the Uchiha would declare an all out war which was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. Alongside him the ANBU squad was recording other important details they uncovered while combing through the battle field. The more they learned the more unusual the whole situation became and with the confusion came even more questions. Who would attempt to carry out such an attack and what was the motivation behind it? If there truly was another Madara how did he come to exist? Frustration began to fill the being of the younger Senju as he was failing to come up with any explanations. Slowly he rose to his feet after he exhausted all avenues of questioning in their current location. What seemed to puzzle him even more was the fact that the tracks simply vanished into thin air. 'There isn't as much as a scent trail. We are dealing with someone who knows how to conceal their presence, a master of shinobi arts.'

The squad leader of the ANBU approached Tobirama and updated him on the situation. The serious expression that was plastered on the Senju's face only got more intense as he realized they were running out of clues. Capturing the suspect didn't seem feasible now especially with so little to go on. Giving up now would only continue to put more lives in danger and Tobirama knew that wasn't acceptable. Slowly Tobirama's gaze shifted to his left and his eyes locked onto some rocky terrain. The ANBU captain glanced over at the Senju trying to understand what he was thinking. "Tobirama-san, what are your orders? Should we return the village and inform the Hokage of our situation?" For a few moments the white haired Shinobi didn't utter a sound as he simply stared out into the field. His instincts were telling him that the individual they were searching for must be in that general vicinity.

"Send word to the Hokage. Inform him of what we have learned so far. The village must not be caught off guard when and if the stranger decides to enter our borders." Tobirama thought carefully before continuing his orders to the men under his command. Jumping into the situation would be reckless and would produce unnecessary casualties. He could hear his brother lecturing him about making smart decisions and slowly he turned toward their next destination. "The fugitive is dangerous, an S ranked criminal. Capturing such an individual will take the combined power of our best shinobi. There is one last place we can examine before we must get assistance from our allies from other lands. I'll go on ahead, rendezvous with me on those peeks." With his orders given the Senju began to walk in that direction.

As Tobirama began walking away the only female in the group glanced over at their leader. Quickly she jumped to her feet and started to run toward him as memories of the bloody scene of the previous day entered her mind. If Madara was defeated so easily she was afraid Tobirama would find himself in the same situation. "Tobirama-sama, don't go!" Unfortunately the white haired shinobi was already a good distance away to hear her pleas. The captain of the ANBU grabbed the kunoichi's arm and shook his head. "Have faith in him. Tobirama-san will be alright. Right now we have our own task to do. Word MUST get to the Hokage. Countless lives are our responsibility, remember that." The young woman's guard dropped and she simply nodded in response calling out to the messenger hawks flying around. All the information that was collected was summed up and given to the animal to deliver. Instantly with the wave of the shinobi's hand the large bird flew off toward the direction of the village. After the bird was out of sight the group of remaining shinobi nodded and scattered finishing up the search in the area before heading off to meet Tobirama.

Meanwhile in the safety of his hideout the future Madara continued to mentally go through his strategy. Defeating his younger self was only the first step in his new plan to gain the title of Hokage and the power Naruto spoke of. The blonde had always said that people become truly strong when they are protecting those they cared about and the Uchiha wanted to see if it was possible for him to obtain it was well. At the same time he was amused by the fact that Tobirama was having so much difficulty tracking him down. Truly he loved to see the younger Senju squirm. Despite his weakened state the Uchiha still had the advantage over Tobirama as well as the ANBU following him. He leaned up against the walls of one of the outcrops and continued to scan the area for any sign of his pursuers. Madara's concentration was once again interrupted as Naruto's words echoed through his mind. As they did the Uchiha tried his hardest to ignore them but his efforts were in vain. His mind began to journey back to the events leading up to his decision to travel back in time.

**Present Flashback**

Chaos was quickly spreading as word of the fourth great ninja war reached all parts of the shinobi world. Nations were preparing for the most difficult battle they had faced in decades. Madara himself observed all the progress his own people were making and he seemed rather confident that his plans would become reality. A small smirk appeared on his face as he gazed out at all the newly created Zetsus and then gazed over at his sleeping 'successor', Uchiha Sasuke. The young man had shown remarkable growth over the years and his last battle with Danzo proved he was the true heir of their family's ultimate power. 'This boy is nearly an exact copy of me when I was in my prime. With our combined power there is no way that my plan won't come true. Konoha and the other nations will fall at my feet.' After finishing his rounds the elder shinobi went out for a bit of a stroll in the nearby wilderness.

As he was wandering around the elder shinobi heard some rustling in the distance. A curious expression could be hinted at from the look of his one visible eye. Instantly he decided to check it out for himself and once he came upon the scene he spotted Naruto running toward his hideout. 'Did the child locate me with those sage powers of his? No I doubt it. He's running blind.' Naruto stopped in the middle of a clearing in the forest to take a small breath and glanced around looking rather flustered. Instantly Madara took a seat on one of the branches and looked down at the Uzumaki. "Looking for me?"

Naruto snapped his head up toward the direction of the Akatsuki leader's voice and had a rather serious expression on his face. "Madara!" His voice was consumed with complete scorn and hatred. The young shinobi formed a fist and did a few breathing exercises to try to calm himself. "As a matter of fact I was. I wanted to speak to you. There is something that I want to confirm." A small um exited Madara's throat as he continued to glance down at the younger man. Madara's eyes narrowed slightly as he began to wonder just what the Uzumaki was getting at. In their last confrontation, he had already explained all he needed to but apparently Naruto possessed the same selective hearing that Hashirama did. "You once told me that you were chosen by fate to continue the battle the sons of the sage of six paths started centuries ago. You also explained that Sasuke and I were the next to carry on that fight."

Slowly Madara nodded in response and sat there with his arms crossed. "That's correct. Fate has chosen each of us to follow down that bloody line of hatred that had started generations before us. Nothing can stop the cycle except the elimination of the other. There is no denying that as long as will exists, hatred will continue to consume the world. What of it?"

Naruto let out a small breath before he continued on, hoping he would be able to persuade Madara as he did with Nagato. "I've come to see that hatred is hard to resist. Hatred only breathes more hatred and it becomes a repeating cycle of pain and suffering. However, even you must have known the pleasures friendship and love brings. Such emotions generate a power that hatred can never hope to match. Accepting one another for who we are is the key to creating true peace!"

A small growl escaped Madara's throat as he thought back to the days he and Hashirama were together. The pair had shared several wonderful days with one another. For some time it looked like nothing could separate them and that fact alone would prove the true power of friendship. However as he went further into his memory all he could see was the betrayal he suffered from the very person he trusted the most. "Sentiments such as that only cloud ones judgment. Friendship is a handicap for the weak and in the end will only destroy you. "

In response the Uzumaki lowered his gaze thinking to himself. 'Maybe it's impossible to reason with him.' As he stood there in silence he remembered how things use to be. He was always alone until he was slowly accepted by everyone around him. Through his hatred alone he could do nothing but once he desired to protect something he saw his power grow exponentially. "I was once lost in the darkness too. Hurt and betrayed by everyone. Even when I thought I'd be lost in the darkness forever I was saved by the light of friendship. If you try hard enough I'm sure even YOU can be rescued from the prison you've trapped yourself in. In this world there is always such a person capable of doing that." As Madara heard his words images of his old friend Hashirama appeared before him with his usual smile on his face. Over and over again he could hear him calling out to him. "Let them in and in time you'll see there won't be anything you can't accomplish."

Madara didn't want to accept what the young man was saying. Hatred was all he knew. It had been his constant companion for nearly 50 years and his greatest weapon. Though for a brief moment, the Uchiha wondered if it was indeed possible for anyone to reach the coldest levels of his heart. Once again he raised his head and gazed at the Uchiha with a serious expression on his face. "If none of that is possible then…. I'll bear the burden of your hatred and we'll die together."

**End Flashback**

"_I'll bear the burden of your hated and we'll die together." _Out of annoyance Madara slammed his fist into the rock beside him and let out an annoyed growl. 'Who does that Uzumaki think he is? The savior of the whole shinobi world? Nagato was swayed by his words in the end but how? How is it possible that it's started to affect me as well? I, Uchiha Madara the manipulator without equal. No… I won't allow the words of a child to affect my plans… ultimate power will be mine one way or another… either in this world or in my own. '

"So I finally found you." Suddenly came Tobirama's voice as he stood not even a few feet away from the Future Madara. The older shinobi slowly turned his masked face in the Senju's direction without showing a hint of concern. "If you thought Konoha would turn a blind eye to the attack of one of their own then you are sadly mistaken. Choosing to attack the leader of the Uchiha was foolish and now you are going to face your fate." A small laugh escaped from Madara's throat after Tobirama declared he'd take him. Tobirama narrowed his eyes as he prepared his kunai and chakra strings to capture the individual. In a flash he launched his attack and was shocked when the weapons went right through him. "WHAT?"

Madara appeared on top another outcropping and gazed down at Tobirama. "Nice try, but I won't be captured so easily. For now I'm just going to observe how things unfold. Till our next meeting." With that the older shinobi vanished in his usual swirl leaving not even a trace behind.

After he disappeared Tobirama slammed his fist against one of the rocks. "Damn it, I let him get away." His facial features looked more serious as he looked at the spot Madara was once sitting. "We are dealing with a tricky fellow. This is more trouble then we first thought…."

**To be continued…**

**A/n: Hey everyone. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update but I haven't had the inspiration to write anything. Sorry our favorite pair didn't make an appearance in this chapter. They will be returning in the next one. Now we are getting a clearer picture of what brought Madara back from the future. Just in case anyone was confused this chapter was focused on future Madara. How will Hashirama respond to the information they've gathered and what can they possibly do against this threat? You'll find out in coming chapters. Please don't forget to review. **


	4. Chapter 4

Time between the initial recovery of Madara's wounded form and the next morning flew by before anyone could blink. Even though security was tightened around the village, they were no closer to catching the mysterious intruder. Outside the hospital, birds were happily chirping greeting the morning sun and the sounds of children playing echoed through the streets. Gentle rays of light filtered into the room the Uchiha leader was sleeping in. Madara was still fast asleep, though his whole form was covered in sweat. The only other presence in the room was the slumped form of Madara's lover and rival Hashirama. He had been so worried that he couldn't even bring himself to return home for the night. Despite the uncomfortable position he found himself in, Hashirama looked rather relaxed and peaceful. In actuality it was the first night the Senju was able to get a decent night's sleep. Ever since he was informed he had to pick a successor, Hashirama was plagued with nightmares and just restless slumbers.

The nurses started to do their rounds as the clock struck nine. A young woman dressed in typical medical ninja garb slowly and carefully made her way into the Uchiha's hospital room. In her arm was a rather large bouquet of flowers. As she walked in she glanced over at the bed worried that she had disturbed the sleeping Uchiha. It was a well known fact that Madara hated to be disturbed when he was resting. Anyone who did found themselves checked into the emergency room. The young woman was relieved when she discovered he was in a deep sleep. She scanned the room and blinked a few times when she saw the Hokage fast asleep at Madara's side. "For goodness sake…" She whispered as she walked over to the window and carefully placed the flowers down and grabbed a blanket. Carefully she started to drape it over the Senju's shoulders and sighed. "Hokage-sama you really need to take care of your health. You'll catch a cold sleeping like that."

Instantly Hashirama felt warmer and a small smile appeared on his face. "Thanks, Dara." He muttered as he shifted his weight and found yet another comfortable spot in his chair. The nurse tried her best to choke back a laugh. She found it extremely cute that Hashirama, their leader had those feelings for the stubborn Madara. Before leaving she made her way back over to the table and began arranging the flowers in a nicely designed glass. The bouquet was filled with flowers that represented strength and power something that suited Madara well. Not only did the flower choices suit Madara, it was balanced with different shades of colors. Truly it was a remarkable thing to see. 'Seems the Uchiha aren't as uncaring as they appear…to put all this much effort into a get well present for their leader… it's just amazing.' The young nurse propped up the note card against the glass and tiptoed out of the room shutting the door behind her. 'I'll come back later with their breakfast.' With that she continued on with her rounds leaving the pair alone in their dreams.

Madara's dreams started to take a turn for the worse as all the noises from outside started to enter his subconscious. His body grew tense as his current nightmare intensified. The Uchiha found himself standing outside his house as a young child. Suddenly through the silence crying of a young child could be heard. Quickly Madara rushed to the source, finding his kid brother slumped over a covered cot. "Otouto? What's wrong?" Tears continued to stream down the younger boy's face no matter how hard he tried to get them to stop. Madara blinked a few times as he grew closer. "Otouto, talk to me. What's wrong?" Slowly the younger boy turned and looked up at his older brother. The elder began wondering exactly what happened to make his brother act like this. Carefully Madara approached and pulled back the sheet to reveal the corpse of their father. Izuna ran up to Madara, wrapping his arms around him and cried again in his chest. "Niisan why! Why did Otosan have to die! WHY!"

Madara's mind was spinning in complete shock. The elder brother was completely lost for words suitable to explain things to Izuna. Despite living through this before Madara still felt the heavy burden of leadership coming down on his young shoulders. Around them Madara could heard whispers from their clan. Izuna continued to cling to his brother as yet another covered cot appeared before them. Since going through this he pulled Izuna away, trying to shelter him from all the pity from their fellow clan members. The pair didn't get far when Madara suddenly heard screams coming from a young woman. He stopped in his tracks to see her pointing at him like he was a madman. "How could you, Madara! How could you do that to your own flesh and blood?"

The young man's mind began racing as he glanced down at his hands and saw they were stained red with blood. 'Blood… whose?' He questioned to himself before gazing down at his feet. His eyes widened in complete horror as he saw the bloody body of his beloved younger brother. Over and over he heard the accusations of the other members around him. In an effort to drown them out he covers his ears. "NO! I didn't… I would never hurt Izuna!" When the noises wouldn't stop Madara took off running in an effort to get some distance from everyone. No matter how far he got the cries wouldn't cease. 'Stop it…. Make it stop' He cried repeatedly. These events of his life were his worst nightmare but unknown to Madara it would only get worse.

As he ran he returned to his current form. 'Hashirama where are you…. I need to see you…' He thought as he continued running. Tears started to stream down his face. Even though Madara was strong sometimes even he needed the comfort of another. No matter how far he ran he didn't seem to get any closer to his secret lover. Suddenly he tripped over something and landed face first into the ground. Madara's whole body was shaking like a leaf. He couldn't take any more surprises. The young man tried to pick himself up from the ground. Before he continued on his way he thought he'd glance over at what he tripped over. His breath nearly stopped when his glance locked on to the broken body of the Senju.

"HASHIRAMA!" Hashirama jumped up from his chair when he heard the earl curling scream of his lover. Madara woke with a start now sitting up in his bed looking absolutely terrified. His breathing was still irregular and his whole form was shaking in fear. Tears continued to stream down his porcelain face as a result of the nightmare. The Senju leaned in closer, putting his warm hands on Madara's shoulders. "Madara! What's wrong? I'm right here." Once Madara's eyes locked on to Hashirama's his breathing started to return to normal. "Are you alright?" Hashirama questioned again, still looking at his lover in concern.

Madara took several deep breaths in an effort to calm his racing heart. The Uchiha glanced over at the Senju again and let out a small sigh. "It was just a nightmare. I'm perfectly fine." Despite his words Hashirama wasn't completely certain of that. It took him by surprise to hear Madara call out his name with such fear behind it. Usually he'd only address him with such distain but this time it felt as if the Uchiha's true feelings were coming through. Madara frowned as he glanced over at Hashirama wondering what was going through his mind. The look on his face told him that the older was thinking something stupid. "Don't delude yourself Senju. I don't feel anything for you besides hate." Hashirama knew he'd say something like that but it appeared it wasn't really true. Even Madara himself was in complete shock that he did such a thing. He didn't completely understand it and wondered, 'Do I really care that much about him?'

For a brief moment Hashirama wondered what the Uchiha was dreaming about. He knew from experience that dreams like that followed shinobi around like lost puppies. Madara called out his name, there was no mistaking that. A small smile appeared on the Senju's face when he realized there may be hope for their relationship after all. Once again another strong glare was shot in the Senju's direction. "Cut that out! I told you, I despise you with every fiber of my being."

Hashirama simply nodded in response. "Yeah I know…. I know." His gaze softened again as he let out a small sigh. Convincing Madara of his own feelings but Hashirama was determined to release them. Madara let out a growl after hearing the sarcasm in his rival's voice. "I mean it Senju!" Once again Hashirama nodded and smiled. "Keep telling yourself that, but I know the truth." That was the final straw. The Uchiha reached behind him and pulled out one of the pillows. He then struck the wood user over the head several times. "Idiot." Despite being the receiver of a pillow attack, Hashirama was relieved that Madara was back to his old self. It was a sign that the Uchiha was on the way to a complete recovery.

After getting all his frustrations out, Madara then turned his glance over to the window. His eyebrow rose as he saw the prepared bouquet of flowers. "Hashirama, where did those come from? They weren't here last night." The Senju followed Madara's glance and then spotted the flowers. Hashirama knew they weren't there either and he knew he didn't have time to get them. In a way it upset him that he wasn't the first to give his love a get well present. He was just as confused but that quickly went away as he analyzed the situation further. Hashirama leaned over and picked up the memo, which quickly solved the mystery. The smile on his face only grew wider as he glanced over at Madara again. "They are from your clan."

Madara's eyes widened when Hashirama revealed that his own family had delivered them. In disbelief he snatched the note from his rival and read it for himself. He couldn't believe his eyes. Despite them not completely trusting him, saying he was power hungry and chasing him out of the family, they really did care about him. It made him even happier to see that they wished him a fast recovery. "After everything they did to me...remarkable."

Their conversation was then interrupted by the knocking of the nurse. Hashirama blinked and glanced over at the door. "Come on in." With the invitation given the young woman slid open the door and came in caring a tray of food. The nurse pulled over a small table and placed it down for the pair. "Good morning, Madara-sama, Hokage-sama. Hospital food may be bland, but I do hope you'll enjoy it." She looked a bit nervous around them.

Madara let out a small sigh and then glanced over at the tray. Another frown appeared on his features. "What's this?" The nurse blinked in confusion as she pointed to the tofu on the tray. She backed off when she saw that Madara was getting angry again. "Exactly! It's not fried! I don't eat plain tofu." The young woman wanted to explain that it wasn't good for him but before she could, Hashirama took a piece and shoved it in Madara's mouth. Her eyes widened in shock and Hashirama sighed. "Just eat it. It won't hurt you." Some grumbles could be heard as Madara crewed the food in his mouth. Hashirama smiled and once again thanked the nurse for the food. "Don't worry I'll make sure he eats it all."

A small nervous laugh escaped her throat as she nodded. She turned around and then looked back at Hashirama. "Oh, Tobirama-sama has returned. Can I bring him in?" The question was really meant for Madara but he huffed and turned his head away, glancing out the window. Hashirama nodded in response and the young woman went to retrieve him. Madara grumbled some more as he sat up and reluctantly began eating the tofu. Moments later the white haired shinobi peeked his head in before stepping through the door. Many times he tried to enter the same room Madara was in, he'd throw kunai at him. To his relief the Uchiha was too busy eating to fling anything in his direction.

Hashirama glanced over at Tobirama as he took a seat near by. "Report. What happened with the intruder?"

Tobirama looked down slightly and formed a tight first at his side. "I've confirmed the description that Madara gave yesterday. We are certainly dealing with a tricky Uchiha. I was unable to capture him."

Instantly Madara slammed down his fist at the table and then glared at the younger Senju. "That's extremely careless. We should have known better then to leave things to you." Tobirama looked rather insulted and Hashirama sent a pleading glance in Madara's direction. With that Madara placed down his bowl and started to get up. "Nevermind, I'll take care of it myself." The Uchiha winced in pain as he tried to pull himself up to his feet.

Hashirama walked over to Madara and gently laid him back down. "Madara, you mustn't push your body right now. Right now the most important thing is for you to recover. I agree that it was unacceptable to let the enemy escape, but you said it yourself…. This isn't any ordinary foe. If I have to I'll go and take care of it myself."

In annoyance Madara slapped Hashirama's hand away and once again tried to get up. "I told you, Senju stay out of it. I'm more then capable of…." Before he could finish him sentence, the Uchiha felt something hard grasp his wrist. He narrowed his eyes when he spotted a wooden hand protruding out of the wall. "Senju! Get your stupid wood off me." Hashirama sighed as he watched Madara throw a tantrum like a young child.

Hashirama's own expression grew serious as he glanced back at his lover. "No, Madara. I'll be damned if I allow you to get yourself killed. If you insist on fighting this intruder, at least wait until your healed. Then we will take him on together." Reluctantly Madara ceased his resistance and slumped back down on his bed, going back to his breakfast. "Then it's settled. Once Madara is well, we'll show this individual the unified power of the Uchiha and Senju clans."

**To be continued….**

**A/n: Hey everyone. Once again I'm sorry for the long wait. The relationship between our favorite pair is starting to show its first blooms. The question becomes, will Madara and Hashirama be able to work together without fighting themselves? We'll find out in future chapters. Just a warning, college is starting up again for me so time for updating will be hard to come by. I'll try to get a new chapter up soon. Hope you all enjoyed. Please don't forget to review.**


	5. Chapter 5

The morning was coming to an end and for once Madara was alone to consider his own thoughts. A small sigh escaped his throat as he glanced out the large window beside his bed. Hashirama had been standing there earlier but after being stuck with him for the better half of three days, the Uchiha was getting annoyed and practically chased him out. His gaze then shifted to the empty chair besides his bed and started to recall the conversation they had a few hours previous.

Hashirama stretched and yawned after waking up from yet another nap. The older man had practically been living there since they brought Madara back from the battle field. The Uchiha still had a rather annoyed expression plastered on his features. "You're still here, Senju? Don't you have a village to run?"

The Hokage blinked a few times as he turned his attention back to Madara. A small smile appeared on his features as he responded. "Didn't I explain this before?" The Uchiha let out an annoyed breath as Hashirama began his usual touchy feely speech. "Everyone in this village is a part of me and it's my job as Hokage to look after the family we created as well as protect them. Right now, my main concern is the health and well being of the one person who means the most to me." Once again Hashirama found himself on the receiving end of a pillow to the face.

"Shut up, Senju." Madara muttered as he turned his glance back at the window. Hashirama slowly lowered the pillow and his own smile grew as he saw a bit of color appear on Madara's cheeks. The younger shinobi always looked cute when he was embarrassed. "Regardless, I wouldn't leave that idiot of a brother of yours alone in the Hokage's office. Heaven only knows what trouble he'll cause, especially with his limited leadership experience. I won't stand for it and another thing I can't tolerate is…YOUR IGNORANCE OF HYGENE!"

Hashirama looked rather shocked as he took a look at his hair and noticed how oily it had become. He also took a few sniffs of his body and sighed. It was really unlike him, but Hashirama was so worried about Madara, he'd let his own well being fall off the radar. Just as he was about to come up with a retort, Madara shook his head and pointed to the door. "Out… you're not doing me any favors by sitting here like this. Take care of yourself for once, baka."

The older shinobi broke a small smile as he got up. Madara was actually showing some concern for his rival and that made Hashirama happier than he's ever been. Underneath that cold front he saw that Madara truly did care for him, even if it was just a little. If Hashirama had things his way, the two of them would be further along in their relationship and finally get off the close friend level and turn into full blown lovers. '_At least I have hope that someday it will happen._' Hashirama thought as he got to his feet and leaned over to kiss Madara on the forehead. An annoyed Madara slapped him and muttered that he was a huge pervert. A small laugh escaped his throat as he began walking out of the room but before leaving he turned around and said, "Rest up Madara. I'll be back later to check up on you."

Once again Madara sighed as he finished recalling what had happened earlier. It bothered him to no end that was actually starting to lower his defenses around Hashirama. Despite all that has happened between the two of them, Madara still believed that the Senju were out to get the Uchiha. There was no way he'd allow that to happen, but at the same time he cursed himself out for allowing Hashirama to get through his walls. Slowly Madara felt his eyelids grow heavy and within moments he found himself drifting off to sleep once again.

Meanwhile, after taking a quick stop at home to freshen up, Hashirama returned to his desk. It was just as Madara had said. Things were a mess. Papers were all over the place and many of them still needed to be approved. '_Why do I even bother sometimes…._' Hashirama thought as he began stamping away. At this point the only things he wanted to see where reports about the intruder and progress reports on Madara. It had been sometime since the first tests were run and he was waiting the results of the second batch. While he was in the middle of his third pile there was a knock on the door. Hashirama carefully placed the stamp down and sat back in his chair, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal the doctor who was carefully monitoring Madara's progress. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama, but I have a report on Madara-sama's current condition." The Senju's ears perked up as he heard Madara's name. In a blink of the eye, his desk was cleared of the stacks of paper and his complete attention was focused on the medic. "Overall his recovery is going rather well. During a close examination, I've observed that a majority of the wounds he received have healed. The largest of them is closed but if he isn't mindful he can reopen it with excessive movement. However, despite all these positive signs there is something that is concerning." Hashirama's eyes narrowed and he grew even more concerned. "Several of the tests revealed a mutation previously unseen in any Uchiha. Given Madara's unnatural talents I didn't think much of it until I reexamined his previous work ups. Such a mutation wasn't present in any of them."

"Is this a danger to his health?" Hashirama questioned. The last thing he wanted to hear was that it was some kind of illness. After everything they had been through, Hashirama wasn't willing to lose his closest friend, rival and potential lover to anything, especially a disease.

The doctor hesitated for a moment, which only made Hashirama even more anxious. "The potential is there. At the present time I'm not overly concerned about negative impacts. However, the curious thing is, the mutation was discovered in his DNA."

Once again Hashirama didn't know what to think of it and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, do you mean to tell me that another bloodline power is being formed?" The medic nodded at Hashirama's deduction. Madara never ceased to amaze Hashirama, with all the powers he had. The Uchiha was constantly growing and getting stronger which made Hashirama happy but at the same time it worried him. Madara's desire for power nearly destroyed him once. He was worried that something similar would happen this time around.

"It goes without saying, Madara is full of potential but he's also proven he's a danger to himself. As I mentioned before this mutation hasn't been seen in any Uchiha, but I have seen it before." Hashirama's interest peeked again. "Such a mutation has only been seen in select members of…. your clan, Hokage-sama."

Hashirama was lost for words for a few moments as his mind tried to make sense of it all. Based on his own knowledge the only real mutation in their family currently was his own Wood-style. It didn't bother him that Madara had the potential to learn his jutsu but at the same time he knew the dangers involved with it. "The wood-style? How did such a mutation show up in Madara's DNA? And how will it affect his Sharingan?"

"That's the curious part of this situation. To my knowledge Madara has never received any of your or any other Senju's blood. The only speculation I can have at this point is the perpetrator did something to him during that battle. As for what will happen with his Sharingan I can only assume that it will remain untouched. However, history has shown that not many can handle the wood-style. Worst case scenario Madara could be consumed by that power…."

Without any further discussion, Hashirama jumped out of his chair and ran out of his office heading straight for Madara. '_No… no…. no… this can't be happening. Madara's life is in danger because of my powers. All i've ever wanted to use them for was to help him find peace…. not this…. not death. This is all my fault… damn it. I won't lose him, not now…. not like this._'

As Hashirama rushed to the hospital the doctor was still standing there in the office. A small sigh escaped his throat as he finished what he was saying. "That Hashirama… he's always so worried about Madara. Nothing has changed from when they were kids. Putting Madara and death in the same sentence always makes him fly off the handle. If only he allowed me to finish." He shook his head as he walked over to the desk putting down his report and spoke to his empty chair. "Hokage-sama, despite the possibilities, Madara-sama will overcome them. He'll grow even stronger and the world will see through him the ultimate power your union can create."

Around the same time, Madara had enough of the hospital and had pulled his body up from the bed. He rubbed down his sore muscles and pulled on his usual robes. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes as he gazed down at the now empty bed. "Enough lying around…. there is work to be done and an enemy to be vanquished."

**To be continued…**

**A/n: Woohoo I finally managed to bang out another chapter for you guys. I've really missed writing about our favorite pair. I thought it would be fun to play around with Hashirama's feelings a little. Isn't cute the way he worries about Madara? Next time, there may be some fluff between the two. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review. I appreciate all the feedback and I'm glad you all are enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. **


	6. Chapter 6

Outside among the villagers everyone was preparing for the festivities that were almost upon them. Stunning lights and various green ornaments were placed upon their homes. Not only was it Madara's birthday but it was also the day before Christmas. Overall there was a rather peaceful yet loving atmosphere but those emotions weren't felt for the "ruling" couple. Neither one was really in the mood for celebration. Hashirama was too panicked that he was going to lose his important person and Madara was too fixated on defeating the person who made such a mockery of him a few days before, not to mention Hashirama himself. There was no way his pride would allow him to forget either. While all the decorating was going on Hashirama was rushing through the streets in desperate attempt to reach Madara. Though at this point he had no idea how he was going to stop his supposed death. All the Senju knew was that he wanted to be by his side and not lose a moment to less important things.

Meanwhile, Madara was rather oblivious to Hashirama's attempts to track him down. Various memories and ideas were swirling around in his head. As he gazed down at the empty bed he was previously laying on he heard the echoes of a younger man's cries. In response he narrowed his eyes remembering the very reason why he hated lying around in hospitals. It was in such a place he had lost the only true family he had, Izuna. Out of all the things Madara experienced during his youth that was the most painful memory to bear. Despite his attempts to hold the memory back it continued to flow through his mind.

The day was a typical one. War was still raging on and many innocent people were still being murdered by both sides. Around this time, Madara had already received his younger brother's eyes which turns out to be something he still regretted doing to this day. While it was true that Izuna gave them to him willingly, Madara hated having to still send him out on missions with a clear disadvantage. Every time they were forced to separate, Madara would finish his jobs are quickly as possible so he could be there to support his younger brother and prevent him from facing any real harm. However on this one day that didn't turn out to be the case. The enemy that Madara was faced with was a cunning opponent and ended up delaying him a few hours. Under his breath the Uchiha leader cursed and hoped that Izuna was still alive and well. Despite all his prayers, he soon found out that wasn't the case. On his way back to assist his fellow clansmen he was met by a Senju messenger sent by Hashirama. Madara stopped in his tracks and glared at his rival's man.

The Senju rose his hands and separated them, showing he didn't come here to confront Madara. "Uchiha-sama, my leader Hashirama has sent me here under a flag of peace… " The young man paused waiting to see what Madara's reaction would be. Instead of outright attacking the Senju where he stood, Madara leaned back and crossed his arms awaiting the rest of the message. Of course he was in a hurry but at the same time, he knew Hashirama wouldn't waste his time sending messengers if it wasn't something of importance. Though at the same time, Madara wondered why he didn't come to him by himself. The Senju let out a small breath and then continued with his message. "During the latest battle, we discovered a wounded Uchiha on our territory. His condition is grave but we thought it would only be proper for you to retrieve him." At the sound of the message, Madara's eyes widened in shock. All he could really think was it was his brother. In response the Uchiha leader simply nodded and gestured for the Senju to lead the way.

The two traveled a relatively short distance to arrive at a hospital that was in neutral territory that often treated members of both the Uchiha and Senju. It was the only location that saw peace between the fighting rivals. When they got there, Madara rushed in ahead of his guide and in the process startled some of the nurses stationed there. His instincts helped deliver Madara to the room where the unknown Uchiha was located. When Madara arrived he spotted 2 of his own men standing beside the bed and in front of it were the two heads of the Senju clan, Hashirama and Tobirama. Madara's own expression soured further when he spotted the blood on Tobirama's chest. His main assumption was that it belonged to whoever was lying on the cot in front of him.

Hashirama slowly turned his glance in Madara's direction and he noticed that it was one of sympathy. The two Uchiha blinked when the Senju finally moved and then followed his eyes to their own leader. With all the eyes on him, Madara entered the room, not looking at either Senju. His main focus was on who the unknown victim was. One of the Uchiha bowed his head as Madara approached and the other muttered an apology. "Madara-sama, we are so sorry. We tried to stop him…."

As he was speaking Madara moved the blankets and his heart nearly stopped. Lying on the bed was his beloved little brother. It was known that Madara was a rather strong person and death usually didn't faze him. In fact when his parents died, he didn't even bat an eyelash. However this time was different. Ninja were taught to never show weakness in front of the enemy but in this moment, Madara forgot they were even there. In a instant the strong leader was brought down to his knees from grief and out of that emotion he reached out and touched his brother's hands, which at this point were ice cold. Hashirama looked on with sadness written on his own features. He wanted to console Madara but he knew that his pride wouldn't allow him to accept it, especially from him. The Senju leader was also somewhat surprised to see the distraught on Tobirama's face. He had figured they were involved but he didn't think it had taken to that level. Madara lowered his head and began to sob, "Izuna…..Izuna….. Forgive me."

After a while, Madara broke himself from the memory and started to walk out of the hospital. Surprisingly there wasn't anyone around to stop him. Then again they were either too busy taking care of new patients or they were preparing for the parties that would start later that day. In no time at all he walked out the front door and started to walk toward the family cemetery. Just as Madara was out of sight, Hashirama came running up to the hospital. As he ran through the halls, he heard some of the nurses shouting, "No running in the halls!" Of course with Hashirama being in the state of shock he was in, he didn't hear a word anyone was saying. He was a man on a mission and nothing would prevent him from reaching his love. Hashirama slid to a stop and entered the room nearly out of breath. His eyes widened in horror when he noticed the bed was empty. "MADARA!" The Hokage went into a deeper panic as he started to search all over the room, with no luck. 'Where are you?'

With his search unyielding of any results he ran back out to find one of the nurses. She looked up at him with a smile and asked. "Hokage-sama, is everything alright?" Hashirama tried to get his breathing under control and then shook his head.

"Madara's missing…. He's not in his room. Do you know where he could be?"

The nurse looked as shocked as Hashirama and quickly doubled checked the room. When she returned she shook her head. "He was here just a moment ago. That man, honestly… he's in no condition to be wandering around. We will turn this whole hospital upside down to find him." With that she ran off to inform the rest of the staff they had a missing patient. Hashirama looked even more determined as he began to think of places that Madara would go to. Instantly it hit him as he too started to hear the echoing of young man's sobs.

'That's it! Madara went to Izuna's grave!' The whole situation was rather morbid but Hashirama was still as determined as ever to spend time with the stubborn Uchiha. As he exited the hospital he noticed that the skies were turning darker and the winds were picking up. 'A storm is approaching. I better find him and soon.' With that he rushed off in the direction of the Uchiha cemetery.

As expected Madara was standing over his young brother's grave with a sober look on his face. The carefully cleaned up the area around it and then lowered his gaze to pray. After wishing his brother the best in the afterlife he stood there and began a conversation that was more or less to himself. "Izuna…. Why am I so weak?"

While Madara was speaking, the ghostly image of Izuna appeared beside the grave listening closely to what his beloved brother had to say. Of course Madara couldn't see or hear him. "No Niisan, you aren't weak. You are the strongest person I know."

Madara soon continued, "Not only has the entire clan turned their backs on me…. But now I have an adversary stronger then both Hashirama and myself. If only you were here beside me, Izuna."

The ghost let out a small sigh. He hated to see his brother in such a state but he understood that these things happened to even the strongest leaders. "Don't worry, Madara-niisan, I know you have the power within you. Don't forget, you also have Hashirama. Together you two can create wonderful things. Just have some faith."

Before Madara could say anything further the rains began to come down. Slowly he glanced up and closed his eyes. The Uchiha wasn't an overly religious man, but he took it as a sign of sadness from his little brother and possibly his parents. "MADARA!" Slowly the Uchiha opened his eyes hearing the voice of his eternal rival in the distance. Once he heard it a second time he turned around to see Hashirama standing not even five steps away. In a moment of relief Hashirama wrapped his arms around the Uchiha and muttered. "Thank god I found you."

Madara looked rather annoyed and tried to push Hashirama away but he couldn't muster the strength to separate from the peaceful embrace. "Idiot… come on lets get out of this rain before we catch our deaths." Hashirama slowly pulled back and nodded in response.

Not too long afterwards the pair found themselves at Hashirama's house. The Senju sighed as he started to dry off his long hair and get into something a little more comfortable. Madara walked in and glanced over at the now shirtless Hashirama. "I'm borrowing your shower." Before the Senju could even say a word, Madara vanished into the bathroom. Hashirama sighed as he plopped on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

Madara slowly started to slip off his garments, leaving them in a pile in the corner of the room. He glanced at his now naked form and traced over the small scar remaining from the battle with the unknown foe. His eyes narrowed in disgust and then walked over to the shower. As he cleaned all the grim off his near godlike form, he once again began to consider his emotions. 'For years I've had this connection with Hashirama. Despite the two of us being enemies since birth, there has always been this unnatural pull between us that gave birth to something else. More and more I've realized I don't want to be alone without his presence, but why is that… why do I care so much about him?'

As the sounds of water continued to rain down Madara, Hashirama began to calm down. He shifted his gaze to a calendar he had handing. Around the 24th there was a big circle around it. The Senju blinked a few times and read the kanji he had scribbled inside it. The concern on his features soon turned into an 'oh crap' expression. Lightly he slapped his hand against his forehead. 'I completely forgot! Today is Madara's birthday! I didn't even get him anything either. Stupid Hashirama.' At the conclusion of his thought he heard the water stop and the door open. Quickly he shifted his gaze to Madara who had walked in with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. A bit of color appeared on Hashirama's features as he saw his stunning form. His heart beat began to race as he continued to gaze on his beauty.

Madara raised an eyebrow in response and then glanced over to the closet. "I hate to ask…. But do you think I can borrow some of your cloths, at least until mine are dried?" The love struck Hashirama didn't answer him and instead walked over to him. The closer he came the faster his heart was beating. He was sure that Madara would have heard it but at this point he didn't care. There was no denying, he wanted Madara, all of him. A small smile appeared on his features as he lifted Madara's chin and connected lips with him. Madara eyes snapped open for a moment but slowly he felt them close and in that moment the two had a more passionate exchange. Hashirama was just as surprised. He didn't think that Madara even had those types of feelings for him. After a few moments had passed, Hashirama pulled back, still smiling and whispered in his ear. "Happy Birthday, Madara."

The Uchiha smirked a little and then gazed up into his eyes. "What did you get me hm?"

Without really thinking about it Hashirama smirked and stated point blank. "How about I show you the depth of my love for you?" Usually Madara would slap him and accuse him of having perverted thoughts but this time he resisted. The hormones were flying all around them and it seemed for once their hearts desired the same thing. Hashirama pulled back a little more and lead Madara to his bed. Before gently placing him on the bottom, he undid the towel and allowed it to slide to the floor. The sight of Madara's fully revealed form was intoxicating to the Senju. He could feel his member getting excited for the chance to finally claim what was his. "Absolutely stunning. You're a flawless beauty Madara."

Madara gazed up at him and his expression summoned Hashirama to him. The elder man climbed on the bed, still fully clothed and gave Madara another passionate kiss. While he was ravaging his mouth, Hashirama moved his right hand down to the Uchiha's member. Slowly he took hold of it and started to stroke it playfully. A shiver ran down Madara's spine as he started to feel the first pleasures from their contact. Hashirama glanced down at the rest of Madara's form and was pleased to see that it was begging to be touched. The body doesn't lie and Madara's was incredibility honest. As Hashirama parted their lips again, he could hear Madara's slowing breath and even his heart beat. Slowly he made his way down Madara's chest, giving kisses all the way down. In no time at all he had arrived at the prize, the rather large little Madara. The Uchiha's body was trembling with excitement as Hashirama licked his lips. A gasp exited Madara's throat as Hashirama began by licking the tip and then taking it in his mouth for a good suck. "Gah Hashirama!" Madara cried. He could tolerate a lot but his whole body was craving to be ravaged by this man.

Slowly Hashirama stood back up and looked down at his partner. His own eyes locked on to him, pleading for him to continue. Hashirama smiled, "First don't you want to see it?" Madara could only nod in response and watched carefully as Hashirama removed his own garments. The Senju's own member was standing erect, and the rest of his body was just as stunning as his lovers. Despite being slightly more tan than Madara, his body was just as marvelous with a well defined six pack and strong muscles. Madara couldn't wait any longer. "Please Hashirama…"

Another smirk appeared on his features as he heard the pleas from the other. Once again he leaned down closer placing his right knee into Madara's crotch and started where he left off. His tongue swirled around each one of Madara's nipples, perking them up even more. A lustful gaze appeared on Madara's face as he waited for the real action to begin. He didn't like to be played with but at the same time, each simple touch from Hashirama was pure ecstasy. As Hashirama continued his little games, Madara arched his hip signaling he was ready. "You can't wait can you? Sorry but I have to prepare you first."

A small frown appear on Madara's features. "Forget preparation. I've waited long enough for this day… I can handle it." Hashirama let out a small breath, somewhat disappointed that Madara wanted to jump right into it. Then again it was his birthday. He would determine how things go this time.

Hashirama glanced down at Madara's chest and saw the wound. "You win, Madara. Though I'll be gentle, I don't want to hurt you anymore then I already have." Before plunging into the depths of Madara's being, Hashirama took a little bit of lube and covered his little solider. Madara squirmed about in anticipation as he felt the tip reach the entrance. Hashirama placed his hands on his hips and then slowly but gently forced his cock into Madara's anus. Madara arched his back as a wave of pain shot through him. A few tears started to stream down his eyes. Hashirama stopped and glanced back down at Madara. "You ok?"

Madara took a few breaths and then glanced back up at him. "Just fine."

Hashirama remained in his current position and then asked. "Can I go further?" In response Madara readied himself and nodded. The Senju took a deep breath before he continued to drive further in, pushing almost his entire length inside Madara. The Uchiha cried out and grabbed onto the blankets, nearly overwhelmed by the mixture of feelings swimming in his gut. Once Hashirama was sure that Madara was completely comfortable with the unfamiliar object he began his rocking motion, back and forth, in and out. As Hashirama thrusted into his lover moans of pleasure could be heard echoing in the room. The movement he thought that would be sickening was the most glorious thing he had ever felt. Madara's whole body relaxed and was gladly accepting the love from the other. Hashirama couldn't have been happier, that this was the outcome. All of his years of desire had finally come to a reality. Gradually Hashirama picked up the pace and while prodding his insides he searched for the sweet spot.

Madara's pleasurable cries got louder and more frequent. All that mattered to the pair at this point was their bonding, everything else was faded out. After a few tries Hashirama found a previously unexplored spot and as he poked it, Madara released another huge pleasurable cry. "Yes! Right there!" A pleased expression appeared on Hashirama's face and he repeatedly struck that spot, sending more waves of pleasure in Madara's direction. With each thrust, Madara was getting closer and closer to reaching his climax. With each passing moment things grew more and more tense. Cries of pleasure and groans of joy melded together to create their passion filled song. "Hashi…. I….." Madara tried to say but was cut off by yet another spine tingling feeling. Words didn't need to be spoken for Hashirama to know what Madara wanted. Again he quickened his pace and grabbed his swollen member. Their bodies were in perfect harmany.

Hashirama felt as though he was ready too and glanced down at Madara. "Together now." As he uttered the last letter, both shinobi came with a violent passion. Bodily fluids squirted everywhere covering Madara's whole chest. Hashirama let out a small breath and half collapsed next to Madara. After all was said and done both turned to one another and smiled. "How was your birthday?"

"Magnificent. No one but you can make me feel the way I do. Only you…" Hashirama was overjoyed to hear that and wrapped his arms around Madara, pulling him closer. Slowly he closed his eyes and said, "I'm so glad, I can have you by my side. You mean the world to me… Madara."

To be continued…

A/n: Wow that was a long chapter. I'm not the greatest when it comes to describing romantic situations but it was still enjoyable to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it too. Finally Hashirama and Madara have become more than just best friends. Will their relationship continue to blossom or will it be ripped apart tragically. Find out in future chapters. Don't forget to review. Merry Christmas!


	7. Chapter 7

Success in claiming Madara was only the first step. In order for Hashirama to truly have Madara as his own he'd have to win over his heart. That would be one of the most difficult tasks he has ever had to perform. However, the wood user was ecstatic that those many long years of waiting had paid off. His desire to be together with Madara was fulfilled and for the first time since they signed the treaty, he felt as though Madara had finally accepted him. Hashirama knew from experience, that Madara was a stickler when it came to his partners. He wouldn't settle for just anyone. Before Madara's parents were killed, they attempted to set him up with several kunoichi. Every last one of them failed to meet Madara's expectations. Izuna also never seemed to approve of any of them either. The brothers were always a tough sell. Madara refused to have anyone weaker than himself as his lover, but at the same time he didn't like to be dominated either. All this made Hashirama wonder if things would really take off between them. Several problems existed. Not only was Hashirama a Senju, the Uchiha's mortal enemy but he was also Madara's equal. Furthermore Hashirama already proved he was the dominate party in the bedroom. Where did that leave them? All these thoughts swirled around his head all night but in his gut he felt in the end Madara would accept him.

Even before the dawn rose on a new day, Hashirama started to come out of his slumber. Slowly he opened his eyes to a still darkened room. He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes trying to focus. As he glazed at the clock he sighed when he realized it was only a little after three in the morning. _'Guess there is no point fighting it. I'm already up.' _Before moving an inch he blinked a few times as he felt a warm yet comfortable breeze on his torso. As he turned to see where it was coming from a bright smile appeared on his features. Madara was still curled up next to him, sound asleep. Hashirama reached over and lightly brushed a few loose hairs from Madara's face. Despite all the years he had known the Uchiha, he was still amazed how even in his sleep he radiated his godlike strength and calm aura. '_You are truly my angel, Madara. I will do everything within my power to save you from this damned fate. By my hand I will give you the peace you deserve_.'

Carefully Hashirama shifted his weight and snuck out of the bed, grabbing his long forgotten boxers that were littering the floor. As he slid them on he glanced back to see Madara still sleeping soundly. The last thing he wanted to do was wake him up at least at this hour. Another smile flashed on his face as he leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. In response a small grumble escaped Madara's throat, as he shifted his own position to get more comfortable. Hashirama picked up the rest of his forgotten clothes and fetched Madara a clean outfit. As much as he would love to see Madara walk around naked, he knew the Uchiha would most likely beat him to a pulp. Besides that, Tobirama would most likely come over for breakfast and Hashirama knew what kind of reaction he'd receive.

Hashirama debated on what he should do in the meanwhile. He wanted to get back to his office to do some more paperwork, but he feared what Madara would think if he woke up and he wasn't around. If anything important came up, he was sure either the ANBU or Tobirama would bring it to his attention immediately. Instead he decided the best thing to do was to prepare the meal for the two of them. Breakfast in bed was always a wonderful surprise to wake up to. The Hokage took a minute to put on a fresh set of clothes and then snuck off to the kitchen to prepare the glorious meal for Madara and himself. After Hashirama left the bedroom, Madara started to have yet another dream. With all that had happened in the last few days he started to think back to when he and Hashirama first meet.

Life for the soon to be leaders of the Uchiha and Senju had it pretty easy for the most part. Hashirama was well off, spending time with his family, both immediate and extended. Madara stuck by Izuna's side and trained almost every day for several long hours. The Senju had always spread rumors about the Uchiha, talking about how deadly they were and how they were more like demons than human beings. Hashirama was curious to see if that was really the case or an exaggeration of the facts. One day he snuck out of the Senju compound and made his way to the Uchiha's which wasn't too far off surprisingly. If they really were as bad as the others claimed, Hashirama wondered why they didn't outright attack them instead of waiting for the conflicts on the battle field.

Hashirama skillfully snuck past the sentries watching the gates and crept into the heart of the Uchiha compound. He tried to be as quiet as possible and as he approached he discovered two boys outside. Without realizing it, Hashirama steeped on a twig snapping it. His heart raced as he ducked behind a tree, hoping no one spotted him. The young Madara stopped his current onslaught of attacks against his brother and glanced in the direction of the noise. Izuna blinked a few times wondering what his brother was looking at. "Nii-san?"

Madara placed his finger over his lips and continued to glance in that direction. Hashirama gulped, praying that Madara wouldn't approach. After a few minutes of observing, Madara turned his attention back to his kid brother. "It's nothing Otouto." Despite the fact that Madara said it, his expression contradicted him.

Before the two could continue their training an older woman's voice called out to them. "Izuna-sama, Madara-sama… your father is asking for you." Izuna looked fairly excited and ran back into the house. Madara on the other hand started walking in and then glanced back at the spot once again. He waited a few minutes and then followed after his brother. "Madara-sama? Something wrong?" The older Uchiha just simply shook his head and closed the door behind him.

Hashirama let out a small breath and slid down to the ground. 'Man, that kid… he's sharp. He knew I was here the entire time. These Uchiha really are observant. He's also….' A bit of color appeared on his cheeks as he recalled Madara's face. '… so… so… beautiful.'

Several months had pasted since that first encounter, but ever since then Hashirama had an interest in Madara. Hashirama trained even harder, in hopes of being able to spar with Madara someday. He would soon get his chance when another battle broke out between the rival clans. Both Madara's and Hashirama's parents went to face each other and instructed both of their children to stay back in reserve. Madara resented the fact his father wouldn't allow him to join him in the battle, but he reluctantly did what he was told to protect Izuna. The fighting was fierce and many shinobi were wounded or even killed. It took all of Madara's willpower to keep himself from jumping into battle himself but Izuna grabbed his sleeve and begged him not to go. Hashirama on the other hand tried to remain calm and observe the battle. He was uncomfortable observing all the killing, but he knew this was the life of a shinobi. As he was scanning the field, he spotted Madara and Izuna. His eyes widened when he saw one of his own clan members sneaking up on them. Hashirama jumped up from his location and was about to shout to inform them but Madara already acted. The elder Uchiha grabbed his kunai and stabbed him in his lung. Hashirama stood there in awe and Tobirama looked on in anger. "That rotten Uchiha!" He spat. Hashirama was amazed at Madara's awareness and is calmness in a life or death situation. He continued to gaze upon them and spotted the trademark Sharingan. Again he grew even more interested in his "enemy."

Hours later after the battle was done, Madara went to clean up by the river. Hashirama had decided to talk to him despite opposition from Tobirama. Carefully he approached but the rustling of leaves alerted Madara. Slowly Madara turned his head and stood up to face Hashirama. Quickly he observed him and noticed the Senju insignia on his collar. "Senju… what are you doing in Uchiha territory?"

Hashirama gulped and then looked at Madara, placing his hands in an non threatening position. "I didn't come here to fight…. I just wanted to talk."

Madara narrowed his eyes in response. "To talk? What could a Senju want to talk to me about?"

Despite his age, Madara was already sounding like a leader. Hashirama could tell that he had what it took to lead his family and hoped that in the future when he began leader of his own clan, they would be able to stop the violence between them. "I just wanted to say, you are amazing. For someone of your age to be able to fight like that… it's…incredible."

Madara frowned slightly in response. He couldn't help but feel this kid was pulling his leg. Personally he felt as though his skills were still lacking but he didn't argue the fact. "I am an Uchiha after all. If there is nothing else…"

Hashirama shook his head and continued. "No… I was wondering…. Would it be possible to hang out sometime?"

Madara couldn't believe what he was hearing. A child, a Senju child at that was hoping to spend time with him. Didn't he know they were enemies? "What's your name?"

"Senju Hashirama." The older boy was ecstatic that Madara even asked his name. There was at least hope for them to be more than enemies.

"Senju Hashirama huh? I'll be interested to meet you on the battlefield. You are the first to ever approach me without cowering in their boots. I'll be waiting." Madara didn't feel threatened by Hashirama but he sensed he had potential.

Hashirama was overjoyed that Madara didn't out right ignore him. Instead he smiled and nodded. Before Madara got too far he called out again, "Wait, Uchiha… what's your name?"

Madara turned back and muttered, "Uchiha Madara." With that Madara made his leave and returned to his mansion. Hashirama on the other hand stood there for a few minutes and repeated the name. He was sure that this kid would become someone great in the future.

Eventually the first rays of the new day were upon them and Madara slowly opened his eyes. He stretched and pulled himself up to a sitting position. 'Of all times, why did I remember that? Guess my subconscious is telling me that even then we were meant to follow the same path.' A small sigh escaped Madara's throat as he glanced over beside him and was slightly surprised Hashirama wasn't there. For a moment he wondered if Hashirama had left him alone but that question was soon answered when he heard the sizzling of the fish in the other room. The Uchiha slipped off the blankets and looked down shocked to see that he was still naked. A small growl escaped his throat as he recalled the sexual encounter they had earlier. 'That bastard Hashirama.' He got up from the bed and then through on the robe Hashirama had left him. Without a second thought he started to make his own way to the kitchen.

While Hashirama was cooking, he heard the front door open followed by his brother's voice. Hashirama let out a small laugh, amused on how well he knew his brother. The white hair Senju came walking in with a scroll in his left hand. He didn't look all too pleased either. Hashirama blinked a few times before Tobirama spoke. "What is the meaning of this, Niisan? How could this happen?"

The older Senju took a few moments to process what he said and then looked back at the scroll. Instantly he recognized it as the one the medic dropped off yesterday. Hashirama glanced down and a somber expression appeared on his face. "I'm the one who should be upset, not you." Instantly the worry from yesterday returned in all its fury.

Tobirama gripped the scroll tighter and glared at his brother. "Do you know what this means for the village? All our work will be wasted at this rate." Hashirama remained silent as Tobirama continued to bombard him with questions and annoyed statements. "If he learns about this, do you understand what will happen?"

Instantly Hashirama snapped his head up and shot an angry glare in Tobirama's direction. He had never seen his brother act like this, not even once. "Shut up Tobirama. Don't you think I know! I've known since yesterday. Damn it… damn it all…" Tears started to form in Hashirama's eyes as all of his emotions started pouring out of him. "This is entirely my fault. All I wanted to do was help people, but in the end I did the exact opposite! If I don't do something and soon… he'll die!"

"Who's going to die?" The Uchiha was leaning up against the door frame, glaring daggers into Tobirama. Hashirama spun around to see him and again bowed his head, to upset to look Madara in the eye. Madara then spotted the scroll and addressed Tobirama. "Is that the medical report? Hand it here."

Tobirama hesitated for a moment and then looked to his brother for some instruction. Hashirama simply shook his head and muttered. "Everything's fine. The medics said that you were still a bit anemic and your wounds are nearly healed. Overall he gave you a clean bill of health."

Madara didn't exactly buy what Hashirama was saying. He could hear the hesitation in his own voice and decided to see for himself. In a flash he appeared next to Tobirama and grabbed the scroll from him. Hashirama's eyes widened and he tried to stop him but before he could move a muscle Madara was already reading it. In defeat, Hashirama slid down to the ground and started to apologize. Madara scanned the entire document and let out a small laugh. "What are you so worried about? It matters not that I now have Senju blood in my veins. It doesn't make me any less Uchiha. You're just upset that you're not so special anymore."

Hashirama slowly got to his feet and shook his head again. "No… no that's not what I'm upset about. I'd willingly give you my powers for I know you are deserving of them. However, I never once wanted to see things end this way…."

Madara let out a laugh and glanced over at Hashirama. "You couldn't kill me with your powers on the battlefield and you certainly can't do it with them inside me. I'm not weak Senju. Your cells may take over weaklings but it will not claim my life. I will overcome this challenge as I did with the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"Madara I'm begging you. Don't use it! Don't use the wood style. I don't want to risk losing you." It was just as Hashirama had feared. Madara had always wanted more power and now he knew he possessed the Senju's bloodline powers, he'd try to master them.

A smirk appeared on Madara's face as he glanced over, "Just watch me, Hashirama… I will master this power and prove once and for all that the Uchiha have no equal!"

Outside the future Madara (Tobi) watched on with much interest. Things were going according to plan. Madara was prevented from leaving the village. He already started to form a stronger bond with Hashirama. The third step was well underway. 'Once he masters the wood style I'll move on to the final step and finally obtain the power and position I deserve.'

**To be continued… **

**A/N: I can't believe I wrote another long chapter. Once again I wanted to include a little history for Hashirama and Madara's relationship. Finally Madara finds out that he has the wood style. The question becomes will he be able to master it or will it be as Hashirama fears? Also, what could the final stage of Future Madara/Tobi's plan? Find out in chapters to come. Don't forget to review. Thanks you guys and I hope you enjoyed. **


	8. Chapter 8

The battle of wills between Hashirama and Madara had reached an impasse as all parties involved sat down for their meal. In order to prevent the Uchiha from storming away again Hashirama wisely dropped the subject and agreed to help his rival master the Mokuton. Hashirama stared down at his food with a disheartened expression. He had hoped to have a rather pleasant morning with his beloved Uchiha after their first real joining in years. A small sigh escaped his throat as all his daydreams about it vanished in an instant. At the same time Tobirama was glancing over at Madara every once and a while, still convinced that this whole situation would blow up in their face. It went without saying that Tobirama and Madara didn't trust one another, especially after the Izuna incident. Each side blamed the other for his death and it was no surprise that Madara would have already killed Tobirama if it wasn't for Hashirama.

Not a single word was uttered throughout the whole meal. The only sounds that could be heard were the movements of chopsticks and the chirping of the songbirds out Hashirama's window. As Madara finished up his breakfast he stood up and glanced over at his lover. He noticed that Hashirama had barely touched his food and remained in his sulky position. A small growl escaped his throat as he slammed his fist against the table as he stood up. "Grow up Senju!" Madara clinched his teeth together and formed a rather tight fist out of his annoyance. "You are Senju Hashirama, the only man I've deemed worthy to be my rival. It's pathetic seeing you carry on like a foolish child." Again the Uchiha hissed as he stormed back to the bedroom to change into something more appropriate for training.

Tobirama looked rather shocked as he heard Madara lecture his brother and glanced over at him. "Are you just going to sit there and take that from him?" While the Uchiha's words sounded harsh, it did seem rather appropriate at the time.

Another small sigh escaped Hashirama's throat as he slowly lifted his head to return his brother's gaze. As their eyes meet, a small smile crept on Hashirama's features. "I'm not running from the truth Tobirama. In the entire world, I'm the only shinobi who has ever fought with Madara on even footing. He would never outright say it, but he respects my power. It's unbecoming for me to act like a child about this. As Madara's lover, it's my responsibility to both support him and help him become the best he can be." The Senju felt a renewed sense of resolve flow through him as he came to terms with the situation. Quickly he finished up the rest of his meal and followed after Madara.

Tobirama just sat their shaking his head, amazed at the complexities of their relationship. Even though Tobirama still had doubts about everything he decided to drop his objections and simply chose to observe how things progressed. A small smile appeared on his own features as he got up and glanced up at the blue skies. "That is how you'd want me to precede, eh Izuna?"

Madara let out yet another breath as he pulled his arms through the long sleeves of his training shirt. On some level he was upset that Hashirama thought that little of his abilities. As Hashirama already pointed out, Madara held great respect for his own and desired to reach that very same level of power and technique. After tying his outfit closed the Uchiha leader started to head out to the backyard to being his own training. Not surprisingly, the Senju's property had a rather large pond and patches of trees that Madara figured Hashirama had grown himself. Madara took a deep breath as he walked up to the pond and gazed down into the water. A small smile appeared on his features as he saw the image of his beloved brother Izuna gazing back at him. Knowing that his brother was watching him Madara felt even more confidence flow through him. To begin his training, the Uchiha closed his eyes and began to relive the battles that he had with Hashirama, paying special attention to the hand signs that he used to create every jutsu.

Hashirama blinked as he saw Madara standing there but figured he was conducting some mental training. Carefully he walked out to him and stood by his side, waiting for him to recognize his presence. Not too long after Madara slowly opened his eyes and muttered, "You finished pitying yourself?" Even though Madara's words were harsh the older shinobi simply nodded and took hold of Madara's shoulder. "I should have never doubted you, Madara." In a quick motion he turned the Uchiha round and locked eyes with him. "Never again will I let my faith waver. You are Uchiha Madara… the man who has conquered my heart." Madara was slightly taken back by Hashirama's words and before he could respond he found that they were locked together with a make-up kiss. The Uchiha closed his eyes and allowed himself to be taken by the Senju again. Hashirama was relieved that he was able to patch up their relationship and that the feelings expressed last night returned.

Before Hashirama could get carried away, Madara lightly pulled back and glanced at him. "We'll have plenty of time for that. Now is the time for training." A small laugh escaped Hashirama's throat as he nodded in response. Madara was still Madara. His strength was always the top priority but considering events, Hashirama couldn't blame him.

"Not that you need much of a lesson on how to perform the Mokuton, but please allow me to explain the details to you." Madara nodded as he stood there folding his arms across his chest. His attention was solely on Hashirama's explanation. "As you are aware, there is no fundamental element of wood; it's created by using the Change in Chakra Nature of both water and earth simultaneously." Those simple details were obvious to the Uchiha. "Generally I'll do earth with my right hand and water with my left. The important thing is getting the mixture just right. Shall we give it a try?"

A Kekkai Genkai was generally something that came naturally to the individual where that power resided. Even though Madara was of the Uchiha, a rather confident expression appeared on his face as he slid into a stance. Due to his advanced battle experience he was already familiar with both water and earth natures. He took a deep breath as he developed water and earth chakra in their respective hands before bringing them together. For a moment there was no movement from the ground or the nearby mountain ranges. After a few brief moments a small seedling formed in front of the Uchiha. Hashirama blinked a few times and looked down at it with a happy expression. Madara on the other hand wasn't as pleased with the lackluster attempt. "Don't be disappointed with the result Madara. We all start somewhere. Although I'm the master of the Wood Style I didn't get it at first either. Some don't even get a seedling until they are several years into training."

Madara let out a small grumble as Hashirama tried to cheer him up. He wasn't use to 'failing' on his first attempt at anything. 'I can do better than that.' The Uchiha thought as he once again attempted to create the proper mixture of water and earth natured chakra. Almost instantly a small cluster of trees began to form from the ground around them. For Hashirama it was a rather unique sight observing it from the outside end. When the trees came to their proper height Madara stood back up letting out a small breath. "It's strange using another Kekkai Genkai. At least I have the understanding down."

Hashirama nodded in response pleased to see that Madara was grasping it so easily. He walked over to the tree and examined its texture. Madara stood there crossed arm waiting to hear Hashirama's criticism of his work but none came. "You're a natural genius Madara. With the fundamentals down I have doubt that you'd have trouble with my various other ninjutsu." A smirk appeared on Madara's features as he heard Hashirama complement him. He had little doubt that he could perform them since he witnessed them several times before with his Sharingan. At the time he was unable to copy the result, but now with the Hashirama's cells it would be possible.

Madara being Madara couldn't help but jab Hashirama without wise remark. "I AM an Uchiha after all. We have no equal when it comes to our compactly to learn jutsu." Once again Hashirama couldn't argue with that statement. By himself, Madara had already learned and copied pretty much every chakra nature available to him. With that comment Madara decided to try out Hashirama's other simpler ninjutsu. Hashirama kept his distance, watching his beloved perform every jutsu as skillfully as himself. The dark haired Senju let out a small breath and then glanced up at the sky. 'Guess I was worried for nothing… eh Izuna?'

Before Hashirama's worries could completely leave him, he suddenly heard a loud, ear curling scream from Madara. The older shinobi snapped out of his thoughts again and shifted his gaze to find the Uchiha on his knees, grabbing the left side of his face. Hashirama's eyes widened at in horror as he saw his beloved shaking from overwhelming pain. Without any hesitation Hashirama ran over to Madara, placing his hand on his back to signal that he was there. "Madara! Madara, what's wrong?" Hashirama knew that most of Madara's injuries had healed themselves. His mind was racing; trying to understand what had come over him so suddenly.

Between each painful grown Madara shouted, "My eyes…. My eyes feel like they're burning." Again surprise ran though the Senju's body. Hashirama knew that the last time something of this nature happened was back when Madara was feeling the effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan. What didn't make sense to him was why the trouble would be returning after all these years. The switching of eyes was supposed to solve all the problems associated with gaining those special eyes.

"Madara let me see…" Hashirama stated as he slowly tried to peel away Madara's hand. With his free hand, Madara slapped Hashirama away. The elder shinobi frowned in response. "Madara please… "

After a few moments the pain started to dissipate and Madara started to breathe normally again. When he removed his hand Hashirama didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Madara's Sharingan was just as it always was. To make sure, he waved his hand in front of Madara's face only resulting in yet another strike by the Uchiha. "Everything's fine. I'm alright now." Slowly Madara got to his feet and started back to the house. "That's enough training for one day… I'll pick this up again tomorrow."

Hashirama stood there with the same worried expression from before. He wasn't so sure that Madara as alright. 'Oh Kami, please tell me that it's not so…. Please tell me that Madara's Mangekyou is trying to steal his light again. I don't want Madara to be blinded…'

As Madara returned to the house his own expression grew somewhat serious. He didn't understand what had caused the intense pain either, but he doubted that it was resulting from his Eternal Mangekyou. 'Must be an unforeseen side affect of Hashirama's cells. I'll have to explore this further.'

**To be continued…**

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for quite a while. Life has really been keeping me busy between college and conventions. Now that I'm on summer break, I hope to be able to update a bit more.**

**What could be causing Madara's new eye problems? Could it be a further warning to stop using the Mokuton or is it a precursor to a new power? Find out in coming chapters. **


	9. Chapter 9

The clouds slowly started to float by, once again mirroring the emotions of the two clan leaders. For Hashirama the events of earlier only pointed to his worst fears. The older shinobi watched as Madara walked back toward the house and as he did he could feel as though his lover was getting further and further away from him. Hashirama knew he couldn't erase the past but at the same time he was uncertain about the future. Ultimately he feared that if he allowed Madara to follow this path that they would never be able to connect again and Madara would be lost to him forever. Again the Senju leader lowered his gaze feeling an undesirable despair fill his soul. Before he could get too lost in his own thoughts one of his ANBU arrived with a report that would only complicate matters further. "Report." Hashirama stated in a commanding tone.

The masked shinobi nodded as he handed his leader a sealed scroll. "Hokage-sama, Uzushiogakure has requested our immediate assistance." As Hashirama took hold of the scroll his eyes narrowed and a serious expression appeared in his dark hues. '_Uzushiogakure…. That's the village of the Uzumaki clan. What could have happened?_' Hashirama knew that the Uzumaki were the Senju clans closest relatives beside the Uchiha. Like the two ruling clans of Konoha, the Uzumaki were respected for their abilities and knowledge of advanced sealing jutsu. However unlike the Uchiha, the Uzumaki were more interested in peaceful relations with its neighbors. Hashirama couldn't think of anyone who'd want to harm them, at least within the borders of the fire nation. Without wasting much time, Hashirama raised his fingers and released the seal placed upon the message. In one swift motion, he flipped it open and began to scan through its contents.

The scroll detailed a detailed account of the onslaught of attacks made against them. Various buildings had crumbled to the ground and several bridges had been burned down. The last count was that a third of the population was either seriously hurt or had died. Hashirama formed a fist as his eyes landed on the description of the perpetrator. The details matched up with the ones that Madara had given about the unknown shinobi that attacked him. '_That bastard…. He's not only going after Madara, but other villages as well._' Hashirama formed a tight fist as he came to the end of the plea for help. At the moment he knew there was little he could do for Madara and even if he wanted to he knew that the proud Uchiha wouldn't accept it. As Hokage Hashirama had a responsibility to act in the better interest of the village as well its allies. "Assemble medical squad 3 and the advanced guard. We are to rendezvous at the main gate within the hour." The ANBU nodded in understanding and took off to carry out Hashirama's orders.

Hashirama knew that he couldn't just stay in the village and do nothing. He was going to go along with them just in case the unknown masked man decided to attack again. There was no way that Hashirama would allow for anymore of his comrades to be harmed by that individual. Without wasting any time, Hashirama rushed back into the house to gather his supplies and to inform his brother on the situation. Tobirama approached his elder brother with a rather serious expression on his face. The younger Senju knew that something was up due to his brother's actions not to mention Madara's body language. "Hashirama-nii-san, what's happening?"

Hashirama glanced back at his brother as he tied on his large summoning scroll to his back. "Uzushiogakure no Sato was attacked by the same masked shinobi that attempted to assassinate Madara. Their leadership has requested that Konohagakure assist them with military strength and medical aid." Tobirama narrowed his own eyes, clearly concerned for his brother's safety. Hashirama noticed that the younger of the two wanted to object he simply shook his head as he glanced back to the interior of the house. "This is not open to debate, Tobirama. In my absence I'm leaving the village in your hands as temporary Hokage. Madara may object, but he is clearly not in any shape to be fighting on the village's behalf. I'm counting on you, Tobi… Keep the village and… Madara safe."

Tobirama wanted to argue about being left to 'babysit' Madara but he knew that his brother was right. The Uchiha leader was just recovering from nearly fatal injuries and currently his reaction to Hashirama's cells proved to be a concern. Simply the white haired shinobi nodded in response and placed his hand on Hashirama's shoulder. "Don't do anything reckless out there, Niisan."

A small smile appeared on his face as he heard his brother's words. "I'll return in one piece for sure." Before leaving he again shifted his gaze toward the inwards of his residence. He had hoped to see Madara again before leaving but he was sure Madara wouldn't want to talk. Tobirama watched his brother take off in a swirl of leaves before returning to the entry way to gather his own things.

Meanwhile, Madara was in deep thought thinking about a possible explanation to his current dilemma. The Uchiha walked into the bathroom and glanced at himself in the mirror. At the same time he gently touched his face with his hands looking rather pensive. The only way to find the cause was to replicate the steps leading to the result. Madara closed his eyes and then activate his Sharingan. Moments later he started to manipulate his chakra to formulate wood jutsu. As like before Madara started to feel a slight burning in his eyes. Unlike before he was able to catch a glimpse of what was happening. Instead of its usual bright red, his eyes were started to turn lighter and the swirling pattern of his Mangekyou was shifting to more concentric circles. When Madara stopped the mixing of chakra natures the irritation to his eyes began to disappear.

A rather curious expression appeared on his face as he wondered what the new formation could mean. Soon his eyes widened as a thought hit him. When he was a child, he remembered hearing his father talk about the Sage of Six Paths and his special abilities. "Um… perhaps that's the key…" With that a small smirk appeared on his features as he walked toward the front door. His eyes shifted to the entry way and noticed that there wasn't any other shoes sitting there beside his own. 'Guess Hashirama and that idiot of a brother of his are out. Regardless, if Hashirama wants to find me he knows where to look.' With that he let out a small breath and slid on his own shoes and headed back toward the village to do some research into the matter.

The villagers greeted Madara as he walked down the streets. Just like Hashirama they were relieved that the Uchiha leader was back on his feet. Although there were those who felt unease in his presence, they knew that they were safer when Madara was on their side rather than against them. The Uchiha lightly nodded in response to their greetings too busy thinking about the evolution of doujutsu to engage in idle chitchat. With every new discovery, Madara concluded that each one of those unique powers originated from the same root and had a common ancestor. His quest led him to the hall of records where the information gathered by both clans was stored. The Uchiha leader scanned over the shelves until he arrived at the ones containing the history of the Senju. Slowly he reached up and grabbed one of the scrolls and then unraveled it. What really interested him was how their family had split over the years. Unlike the Uchiha, the Senju had many more branches of families that were related to them. It was possible that the strange mutation was related to one of those separate clans. As he continued reading he came across the Uzumaki clan. "The Uzumaki... no doubt, that woman Mito came from there."

His eyes narrowed as he reached up to grab yet another scroll which pertained more toward the relationship between the two clans. Based on his encounters with them, he was aware that their specialty was sealing jutsu but he figured there was something more. The Uchiha spent hours digging through the documents absorbing as much information as he could. Yet to his disappointment there wasn't too much information pointing to a separate doujutsu. However, this setback did not deter Madara from continuing his search. Instead he began shifting through his families own literature and within a few moments discovered a clue. The legends passed down discussed an all powerful eye that belonged to God himself. The description sounded to match what Madara had seen and concluded that the Eternal Mangekyou wasn't the final step after all. "Now I understand… by joining the bloodlines of the sons can one truly become like the Sage of Six Paths."

A rather amused expression appeared on his face when his new goal became clear. By mastering Hashirama's powers and awaking the new eye, Madara would finally become the superior shinobi he knew he was. With that power he would claim the position he felt rightfully belonged to him.

As Hashirama raced toward Uzushiogakure he felt a nagging feeling in his gut. Deep down he didn't know if he could leave Madara alone with Tobirama, especially in his compromised state. Madara was a man of ambition and drove for power even if that power led him into darkness. Hashirama couldn't deal with being separated from his beloved again. Whomever this unknown shinobi he seemed to have both Hashirama and Madara right where he wanted them.

The sensory type shinobi in Hashirama's group scanned ahead to the area and was startled by what they saw, or more like what they didn't see. "Hokage-sama…." The shakiness in their voices told Hashirama that something was drastically wrong. He picked up his pace and joined them at the front of the group. In a few brief moments Hashirama saw with his own eyes what had startled his fellow shinobi. Uzushiogakure was completely leveled. Where the center of town would normally be located looked like a bolder of the size of the moon struck it. Around the edges of the crater remains of buildings popped up out of the ground like grave stones. Never before had any shinobi witness such destruction.

Hashirama lowered his gaze and took a moment to pray for those who had lost their lives. He then turned the squad under his command and gave his order. "Fan out and rescue any survivors." In unison they all acknowledged their leaders order and took off to search the debris. Just as Hashirama was going to join them, he heard a rather disturbing laugh from behind him. He spun around narrowing his eyes, knowing that whoever it was, they were responsible for the destruction and murder of countless individuals.

"Long time no see, Senju Hashirama." Came the voice of the masked man he was searching for. Hashirama growled in anger as his gaze locked on him. The Senju recalled the details given by both Madara and his brother and they matched up perfectly. Again Tobi (Future Madara) laughed seeing that the Hokage finally realized who he was talking to. "Yes, I'm the one who attacked Uzushiogakure and Uchiha Madara."

The Senju leader formed a tight fist and sent a sharp glare toward the masked man. "Destroying a whole village of innocent people is UNFORGIVEABLE!"

"Innocent people, eh? The Uzumaki clan was a threat and had to be dealt with." Tobi knew that the Uzumaki would be the only people who would be able to stop his goals in the end. They would give rise to Naruto, who in turn would be the one to stop him. That outcome was unacceptable in his corrupted mind.

Hashirama couldn't wrap his mind around the concept of the Uzumaki being a threat. Sure their life spans were twice that of any shinobi and they had advanced sealing jutsu… but those facts alone did not label them as threats to anyone, especially those who were on the side of justice and equality. "Furthermore, you must either be a twisted individual or incredibly foolish one to make an enemy of the Uchiha. Attacks on their leader won't be tolerated by either his clansmen or me!"

Tobi leaned up against one of the remaining pillars of the fallen village, folding his arms over his chest. Hashirama's declarations only amused Tobi further. "Such hypocrisy. Your declarations of devotion are facades, fronts to keep your true motives hidden. Without hesitation you'd eliminate Uchiha Madara with your own hands for the sake of **YOUR** village!"

Those words struck Hashirama rather hard and only proved to infuriate him further. "You're wrong! Madara is… Madara is the one who means the most to me in this world."

"Uchiha Madara is a man of ambition… a man of power and darkness. The likes of you and your feelings won't be able to restrain him for long. Betrayal sent him away once before. Once one betrays the more easily a task it comes for the future." Tobi's words pulled hard at Hashirama's heart strings. Hashirama didn't want to believe that after everything that has happened and the moments that they shared that Madara would abandon him again. Without meaning to, Hashirama's mind wandered to the morning when everything began to fall apart, the day Hashirama had to choose his successor.

Konoha had only been born several months earlier with the treaty signed between the Uchiha and Senju clans. Things were as proceeding as smoothly as things could go with a union of oil and water. Along that journey a few bumpy patches emerged threatening to tear the village in two. However, Hashirama was able to mend most of the concerns and prevent a major fissure until that morning. The daimyo of the land of fire knew that the situation was still unstable and requested that Hashirama choose his successor in the likelihood that he would be unable to continue as Hokage. The decision weighted heavy on the Senju's mind for several days, but in the end he choose to go with his younger brother Tobirama instead of his rival Madara. When the decision reached the other clan leader all hell broke loose. Individuals among the clan began to whisper about the meaning behind the selection. While most decided to idly gossip on the issue, Madara decided to go straight to the source, Hashirama himself.

Hashirama was sitting at his desk, reading over several reports from the various teams that had gone out on missions. Unlike other leaders that would come after him, Hashirama was very focused on village business. Every once and a while he would rub his temples feeling a large headache coming on. Without much warning Madara slammed the door open and marched into the Hokage's office with his Sharingan blaring and a serious expression on his face. "Ma..Madara, what's the meaning of…"

"That's what I wanted to ask you… _**Senju**_!" Whenever Madara used Hashirama's last name he usually took that to understand that he was furious about something. The something was slammed onto of his desk. Hashirama recognized it as his communication about the choice of successor. "Explain to me, why I wasn't selected to be Second Hokage! I'm more than enough qualified and you know that better than anyone!"

Hashirama's expression softened somewhat as he looked up at the furious Uchiha standing before him. He figured that Madara would take the selection the wrong way but at the time Hashirama believed he was doing the proper thing. "Madara… The selection of successor was a difficult one. I didn't want the choice to appear to be done in favoritism."

"Favoritism... that's your excuse for going back on your word? How is choosing the most qualified an act of favoritism? How do you think **you** got the title of Hokage? It was because the consensus believed you were the proper choice." A small growl escaped Madara's throat as he sent yet another disgusted glare at the Hokage. "Tobirama has no qualifications! No leadership experience!"

Hashirama let out a small sigh as he listened to his complaints. While it was true that Tobirama had limited experience both on the battlefield and in the role of leadership, he had faith that his brother could do a good job with the proper instruction and tutorage from both of them. "At one point WE didn't have much experience, but we both grew into the role. With proper guidance from both of us, we can make this work for the betterment of the village."

It became clear to Madara that Hashirama's mind was made up and he wasn't going to shift on the issue. His expression grew even more serious as he slammed both of his palms against the table and leaned in closer to the Hokage. "Every since you've received the title of Hokage, you've made it your priority to push the Uchiha further away and prevent us from having our say in the future of this village. I see what you're doing, Senju Hashirama! If you think you'll be able to conquer the Uchiha you are sadly mistaken!"

Madara then took the opportunity to storm out of the office without another word on the issue. Hashirama simply sat there shaking his head. A look of anguish appeared on his features as he gazed out the open door. 'All I was hoping to achieve was to lift the responsibility of leadership off both of our shoulders so we could finally live our lives in peace… together.'

After reliving the moments that lead up to Madara's disappearance Hashirama glared dangerously at the masked shinobi. The dark figure of Madara slowly changed to the man he'd come to know over the last few days. Deep down Hashirama knew that he could reach him and that Madara himself would dispel the darkness in his being. "You underestimate the bonds of friendship. The will of fire will reach Madara's heart and will help him find the place where he truly belongs."

Once again Tobi looked rather amused by Hashirama's statement. "Nothing about you has changed. You are still blind to the unmistakable truth. Let's continue our little game and see whose beliefs are stronger." Just as Hashirama was about to release one of his ninjutsu on the masked man, Tobi rose his finger shaking it back and forth. "As much as I would like to play with you, Hashirama, I have business elsewhere that takes precedent." With that Tobi vanished thanks to his unusual space time jutsu.

Hashirama looked rather serious as he glanced at the spot the man once stood. "Run while you can … because the next time we meet you'll feel the power of the Will of Fire."

**To be continued…**

**A/N: Wow, two chapters done within a week and a long one at that. Hope you all enjoyed this one. Madara has two paths to choose. Either he could continue down his path for more power or he could choose to remain by Hashirama's side. We will find out in the coming chapters who is ultimately right about Madara's nature. Don't forget to review. Till next time. **


	10. Chapter 10

After his encounter with the masked shinobi, Hashirama made his way down the embankment to assist in the search for survivors. From his vantage point up at the peak, things looked bad but as he got closer the more intense the destruction appeared. Everywhere he looked he could imagine all the families that were wiped out in that brief moment. Anger ran through every fiber of his being as he found mangled bodies everywhere. '_Curse that fiend_!' The search continued for several hours with very little to show for it. Hashirama feared that the entire clan had been whipped off the face of the earth but was soon relieved to hear the calls of his men. "Hokage-sama! We found survivors!"

Without a second thought, Hashirama rushed over seeing at least 15 or so members of the Uzumaki clan huddled together. As like in their own village, the women and children were able to escape the danger area before it was too late. The Hokage scanned over the individuals and then came across a figure he had remembered, Uzumaki Mito. The woman was just as he remembered her with her short red hair and elaborate choice in kimono. Hashirama scanned over her a few times, pleased to see she had escaped with very few injuries. "Mito-san, I'm pleased to see you." Hashirama stated softly.

Even before Madara and Hashirama officially became a couple, there was talk that Hashirama would end up settling down and marrying Mito. The relationship was more or less a political move but there were those who suspected that something more would come from it. Mito nodded in response, "The feeling is mutual, Hashirama-san or rather Hokage-sama." After respectfully bowing to him, her gaze shifted to her surviving clansmen. Sorrow and pity appeared in her eyes as she looked around at her fallen village.

The situation was a bit more complicated than Hashirama had suspected. Without a home to return to, the Uzumaki clan would be forced to wonder. He knew even with his Mokuton jutsu it would take some time for him to provide enough housing for the remaining residences of this village. For a few moments he thought about what he should do and then returned his glance in Mito's direction. "Regretfully there is little that can be done here. The least I could do for you and your clansmen is to give you refuge in my village, Konohagakure no Sato. I promise that your brethren will be well taken care of there."

Mito wiped the tears forming in her eyes away before glancing back at the Senju before her. "That would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your kindness, Hokage-sama." Again she bowed and returned to her people to explain to them their plan of action. Hashirama stood there and let out a small breath. He knew full well that Madara would be furious with the thought of incoming guests, especially the Uzumaki. When Mito and Madara first met, Hashirama saw a gaze that he didn't quite understand until now; a look of jealousy.

Although Hashirama convinced himself their stay would only be temporary, he also figured that Madara wouldn't see it that way. The best thing to do would be to distance himself away from the Uzumaki and allow his brother to handle any of their concerns in his stead. Once again Hashirama gazed up at the sky and started to think about his beloved Uchiha. 'Madara… what are you doing now?'

While Hashirama was absent from the village, Madara spent almost every waking hour fixated on his training. As usual the Uchiha was a perfectionist and wouldn't stop until his body gave out on him or he had reached a level of performance that equaled or even surpassed Hashirama's. Not only did Madara train to master the wood style but he also dug deep into the powers of the new doujutsu he gained. Later that evening Tobirama stopped by the residence to check up on Madara. 'Even though I know firsthand how tough that bastard is, Hashirama would be furious if anything happened while he was gone.' As the white haired shinobi headed toward the back of the house he felt an unusual breeze fly toward him. His eyebrow rose in interest wondering exactly what was causing it. The rest of the surrounding areas were rather calm so he determined it wasn't a natural storm. As Tobirama turned the corner his eyes widened in pure shock at what he saw. In the distance he spotted Madara surrounded by a forest of trees panting rather heavily. However, that wasn't the thing that surprised him the most. Behind the Uchiha where a mountain use to tower over the house was a rather large crater and a newly formed lake. 'No way... Did Madara create this? Remarkable.'

Even though Tobirama was trying to keep his presence from the Uchiha he unknowingly snapped a twig underneath his foot. Slowly Madara shifted his glance over in his direction. The grin that once seemed to be plastered on his features shifted a deep frown. Without a word Madara began to head in Tobirama's direction. The whole time a rather ominous vibe flew off him. Tobirama was use to being hated by the Uchiha after all these years. Many a times when Hashirama was nowhere to be scene, Madara would threaten him in some manner. As he approached the shock on Tobirama's shock intensified as he saw the new eye that Madara had developed. "What are those..."

A small chuckle escaped Madara's throat as he appeared next to Tobirama. For a moment the younger shinobi's body froze in horror, preparing for a possible attack. "These Tobirama are the ultimate doujutsu and the final evolution of the Sharingan. Thanks to your brother I now have power in the league of the legendary sage of six paths." Before walking past him, Madara placed his left hand on Tobirama's shoulder. "After all this time I'll finally be able to prove the Uchiha's dominance and claim what is rightfully mine." Once again the grin appeared on Madara's features as he continued on his way back toward the Uchiha compound.

Tobirama spun around moments after he past. "Madara!" He shouted but it was too late. The Uchiha had already vanished into the night. The white haired shinobi's eyes narrowed and a small growl escaped his throat. It was as he had always suspected. Even after all this time, even after being taken by his brother, Madara was still out to defeat the Senju. The newly found power was slowly corrupting the Uchiha's mind and if Hashirama didn't return soon Tobirama feared that the village would be in jeopardy. 'Niisan... hurry back home before it's too late.' Although Tobirama was willing to do anything he had to in order to defend the village he didn't want to eliminate his brother's lover. Already his hands were covered with another Uchiha's blood and he didn't want to be responsible for another.

After the long training session, Madara returned to his own residence to get some much needed rest. His fellow clansmen were overjoyed to have him return. Not even a week ago, there was so much tension among the Uchiha, you could cut it with a knife. Although the rest of the clan still didn't completely agree with Madara's view of the Senju they still held a great deal of respect for him. Madara didn't say anything in reply feeling as though their greetings were somewhat halfhearted. He simply gazed at them for a moment before he entered his bedroom. The Uchiha leader let out a small sigh as he plopped down his large bed and slowly closed his eyes.

Tobirama returned to the Hokage's office immediately after the encounter with Madara. The younger Senju was concerned that things would soon take a drastic turn for the worst. "What was my brother thinking?" Madara's dark expression once again appeared from his memory, sending chills down his spine. It had been several years since he had seen that level of darkness in the Uchiha's eyes. There was no doubt that if he were left alone for much longer there a civil war would break out. Tobirama shook his head again and leaned back into the chair gazing up at the ceiling. "Hashirama knows what he's doing, at least I hope he does."

The white haired shinobi's thoughts were disrupted when he heard the door open to reveal a rather tired Hashirama. "Is that what I look like when I'm sitting there?" The elder Senju questioned with a rather amused expression on his face. Tobirama slowly lowered his gaze to meet his brother's and simply smiled. "Perhaps." Tobirama let out a small breath as he carefully stood up and walked across the room to greet his brother properly. Hashirama wanted to ask about Madara but before he could get the words out, Tobirama spoke again in a rather serious tone. "Hashirama, you're losing Madara. Once again the drive for power is starting to corrupt him. The look in his eyes... I hadn't seen that level of darkness in a long time."

Hashirama looked rather concerned as his brother informed him of Madara's unusual behavior. He figured that he would be driven to improve in order to defeat the masked man. What Hashirama didn't expect was for Madara to start to lose himself to the desires of power. "Where is he now, Tobirama?"

"The Uchiha Compound." Hashirama nodded and started to head out to see if he could do anything to restore order in the Uchiha leader. "Just be careful Niisan." The Hokage didn't waste any time to get to the residence of the Uchiha. Madara's clansmen were surprised to see the Senju leader at the compound so late at night. The Uchiha kunoichi smiled as they saw Hashirama pass by, thinking how lucky Madara was to have such a good looking lover. Some of Madara's closest 'guards' were wary of Hashirama's presence and remained rather close to his bedroom.

Sleep was slowly starting to claim Madara but before he could doze off too far he felt a warm hand moving up his chest. Almost instantly he started to open his eyes to a fuzzy figure. "...Hashirama?" Madara rubbed his sleepy eyes with his right hand and then glanced up again to see the smiling face of his lover. A rather confused expression appeared on his face as he said, "What are you..."

"Doing here? Honestly Madara do I need a reason to come to my lover's bedroom?" Hashirama asked all the while looking pleased to see him. Another sigh escaped the Uchiha's throat as he slowly began to sit up to have a proper conversation. For a moment Madara noticed a thoughtful expression on Hashirama's face. "Say Madara, have you been feeling well?"

Again Madara's eyebrow rose in curiosity to Hashirama's question. "What did Tobirama say to you?" The Uchiha wasn't foolish and surmised that the younger Senju had blabbed to his brother about his earlier behavior.

Hashirama let out a small breath as he sat on the edge of the bed. He simply gazed into Madara's eyes trying to see into his lovers soul. There was no sign of the increased hostility in his expression but Hashirama couldn't ignore his brother's report. "Tobirama believes that your newly acquired powers are corrupting your mind, Madara. You and I have come so far, I don't want to believe that you'd throw it all away."

Crickets starting chirping around them breaking the silence that existed in the room. Madara wasn't surprised that Tobirama caught what Hashirama was clearly unwilling to. The younger Senju was always watching him carefully for just such a thing. Madara slowly close his eyes and reopened them with his Mangekyou blazing. "Denying that I'm content with this power would be a lie. I've never felt stronger. Exhilarating to say the least." A small smirk appeared on his features as he leaned in closer to Hashirama, grasped his chin with his left hand. "You Hashirama Senju belong to me and as long as that's the case I could not desire more." Hashirama's eyes widened as Madara locked lips with him and forcefully pushed him onto the bed.

Hashirama gazed up at his lover's dark red eyes and once again saw the lust behind them. There was no doubt that Madara wanted to ravish him and there was no way he would refuse. Simply being with Madara was Hashirama greatest desire. The raven ripped off Hashirama's clothing and licked his lips in anticipation. As he nibbled up and down Hashirama's form, Hashirama's own eyes became clouded with excitement. 'Even if Madara becomes the devil himself, I'd sell my soul to him without a seconds thought. As long as I can be with him, that's all that matters. I won't lose him again... not again.'

**To be continued...**

**A/N: Wow it's been forever since I've updated this story. I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting. It's been rough between college and not having any inspiration. Will this night keep Madara from losing himself or is it too little too late? Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review. Till next time.**


	11. Chapter 11

Loud moans and screams could be heard from the Uchiha's bedroom, as the leaders carried on with their rather punishing love making session. Lust and darkness swirled enveloped the bedroom as the leaders' desires blossomed. By the end Hashirama's body felt incredibly heavy but he had to admit he enjoyed every second of it. His eyes told the whole story with their glazed appearance. Madara grinned as he looked down at his now sleeping lover. He was thoroughly pleased that he had finally conquered Hashirama in the bedroom. Madara exhaled as he finally deactivated his Sharingan. Although no genjutsu was casted upon Hashirama, the raven was sure his lover would have some interesting dreams. The Uchiha leader grabbed his discarded clothing and prepared to freshen up before he rejoined the Senju in bed. In one fell swoop he threw the covers over Hashirama's form and made his exit.

The sentries standing watch outside his room jumped when they saw their leader walking out. "Madara-sama... we uh..." A rather amused laugh escaped his throat when he figured they had listened to the whole affair. In the past he would have slain anyone who even had a suspicion that he had anything to do with a Senju, especially in a romantic sense. The fact that they were together was pretty much common knowledge at this point, despite Madara's efforts to keep it under wraps. Killing the whole village over it would upset the balance not to mention create yet another fissure between the two leaders. Simply Madara glanced back at them with his usual expression and said, "That is how you handle a Senju." The two sentries gulped as Madara walked past them without another word. There was no doubt that Madara hadn't lost his touch and was as dominating as ever. They simply smiled, glancing at his back with pride, "That's the Madara-sama we know."

While Madara had made his way to the bath, Hashirama was lost in a nightmare. The Senju was standing in the middle of a field and in every direction around him was nothing but fog. In the distance all he could hear was Tobirama's warning, "You're losing him, Hashirama... You're losing Madara" repeating over and over again. Hashirama covered his ears and shook his head trying to get the voices to stop. He did not want to believe that Madara was falling back into a pattern of inescapable darkness. The Senju began to quicken his pace trying to find a way out of that terrifying area but no matter where he went, Hashirama couldn't find a hint of civilization. After being lost for what appeared to be several hours, Hashirama narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw a figure several feet ahead of him. "Hello? Who's out there?"

After he didn't get a response Hashirama took a breath and started to approach cautiously. At first he figured that the individual couldn't find him due to all the fog, so he called out for a second time. "Hello there! You think you could help me?" As Hashirama grew closer to the unidentified individual he was starting to make out some key features. The figure belonged to a male, somewhere in his late teens to early twenties with long, black hair that had a blue tint to it which was tied in a ponytail. Hashirama also took notice of the standard Uchiha outfit which consisted of a high-collared, blue shirt and blue pants which were wrapped up in bandages at the ends. He blinked and cocked his head to the side for a moment thinking of who it could be. 'Madara?' Instantly he shook his head knowing even in his youth, Madara never tied his hair back even when it grew past his shoulders. It was far too unmanageable for that. His eyes widened as the figure turned to face him. "Izuna?!"

Shock started to enter the Senju's mind when he finally realized he was seeing Madara's deceased little brother. 'His eyes...' Hashirama thought as his mind traveled back to the moments before he fell asleep. Madara's Eternal Sharingan consisted of both his own and Izuna's eyes. Although they were unified now, Hashirama believed that Izuna's orbs still had some will of their own. 'Perhaps they wish to share with me, Izuna's concerns for Madara. What could they see, that I, Madara's lover cannot?' Even though he knew he was stuck in a dream, the younger Uchiha's appearance didn't bode well for Hashirama. Izuna didn't say anything at first as he lowered his crossed arms. He simply glanced at him with a rather serious expression. "Hashirama-san, I was wondering when I would see you again."

A rather ironic statement, since before Izuna died his eyes had been taken by his elder brother. Though Hashirama noticed in this dream world they had been restored to the young boy. Even though several years had passed since the two had seen one another, the Senju leader still harbored regrets that he wanted to get off his chest. "Izuna, I must apologize for not being able to prevent your death. I know your last wish was for your brother to be happy but I feel as though I'm failing there as well." The fog around them began to intensify as Hashirama's doubt grew.

The young Uchiha simply shook his head as he started to approach Hashirama with a rather calm expression appeared on his features. "You need not apologize to me, Hashirama-san. War breathes death and regardless of our efforts some just won't survive. As they say, survival of the fittest." . Only one could truly lead the clan, and Izuna knew that Madara was clearly the stronger. Fate had chosen him to be the one to carry on the Sage's eldest son's will. For a moment he closed his eyes and reopened them after a breath."I can't thank you enough for looking after my brother. I know how troublesome he can be, especially when he's fixated on something. Regardless, his happiness is what means the most to me." Hashirama blinked when he noticed Izuna paused and his expression grew more serious. "However Hashirama, recent events have troubled me." Izuna reached into his tool bag and pulled out a glowing glass ball. Again the Senju was rather curious as to what it was. The Uchiha glanced down at it and said, "I call it the Garasu no Reikon, or Soul Glass. It's a spirit item that allows me to see the state of my brother's soul. The colors signify the level of darkness and light in his being."

Hashirama nodded in understanding as he glanced at the sphere, noticing a somewhat dark shade of purple. Common sense told him that the darker the color the more darkness that existed. The Senju didn't want to believe it to be true, but the evidence was impossible to ignore. He gazed at Izuna for a moment and spotted an hazy image of his younger brother standing next to him. Tobirama's expression was just as worried of that of the younger Uchiha as both peered at the orb. Lightly Hashirama let out an amused snicker as he turned his attention back toward the messenger. "Seems even in death, you and Tobirama are still on the same wavelength. He too warned me that Madara was starting to slip away from me."

Izuna shifted his attention from the glass to Hashirama again. His eyes narrowed slightly and his tone grew even more dire. "Don't ignore his warning! Don't allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security. While I may not know all the details, this newly found power of my brother's is creating an environment where his soul could be destroyed by darkness once again. I've seen where that leads him!" Once again dark images began to play around them. Clashing of katanas, and shuriken echoed through the fog, accompanied by a loud guttural roar. Battles raged on with faceless opponents. Blood spraying in every direction, until finally Hashirama saw the unthinkable. Madara's body impaled with nearly a dozen swords, spears and weapons alike. No doubt if Madara continued down this path, his death would be guaranteed.

The Senju nodded as he placed a hand on Izuna's shoulder. Gently he squeezed it showing his determination and dedication to the cause. "Izuna, I promise you I will not let that happen. You just watch that glass. Very soon, it will shine as brightly as the sun. I WILL break through and I WILL save him."

The younger Uchiha looked rather relieved to hear Hashirama's declaration. A few tears of happiness started to escape his eyes. Quickly Izuna wiped them away and glanced off into the distance. "Thank you Hashirama... Thank you." He started to walk away back into the fog from which he came but before he disappeared he turned back to the Senju leader with his sharingan active. "While I hate to leave you with unpleasant images, you need to see what will happen if you fail." Hashirama's eyes widened as the fog disappeared revealing Konoha in a shambles. All the buildings were obliterated. Among the jagged remains of the village lied the beaten and battered bodies of the villagers. In the center of all that destruction Hashirama spotted his brother's corpse on the ground and hovering over it was a Madara. Hashirama's mind couldn't even compute that it was his lover. The Madara before him possessed a demonic gaze, a malevolent laugh and body drenched in the blood of innocents. Before he awoke from his dream he heard Izuna's voice again echoing, "Please protect him... protect Madara from himself."

After witnessing the images in his dream Hashirama jolted up from the bed, screaming in terror. Sweat poured down his face and his whole body shook. For a moment he was unaware of his surroundings as the images from the dream replayed over and over in his mind. "No... No... No... I can't let that happen..." He gasped.

The screams of the Senju were nearly deafening. They echoed throughout the entire Uchiha compound grabbing everyone's attention; especially Madara's. The raven had just finished freshening up when he heard the unbearable screams. Without even thinking about it Madara rushed to Hashirama's side barely even dressed. "Hashirama?!" As he reemerged in the bedroom Madara glanced down at the Senju in confusion. As far as he was aware no one had entered the room since he left no more than a half an hour ago. The Senju didn't appear to be injured in any fashion which lead him to believe it was only a dream that had startled him. When the elder man didn't register his presence Madara let out another half agitated breath and once again called out his name.

This time Hashirama glanced up and looked as though he was going to break down in tears. "Madara?" Clearly he was perfectly fine. Not a single imperfection even for a disheveled mess. The hideous image he had dreamt up was far from the reality Hashirama was faced with. "It is you, right Madara?" The elder man's voice was still uneasy and there was a visible shiver to his form.

The Uchiha leader was rather annoyed that Hashirama would always loose himself in his own nightmares. He had known Hashirama to be rather calm, collected and sometimes even unemotional on the battlefield. Madara just couldn't understand how a nightmare could rattle him this much. In his eyes it was almost unbecoming. Comforting others wasn't his forte not to mention he was out of practice. Izuna was the only individual Madara even bothered trying to comfort. Once he lost him, that talent faded as did his compassion. He let out a small breath as he approached the foot of the bed. "You are not hallucinating, Hashirama. I'm right here." After hearing those words, Hashirama slowly started to calm down. Although Madara was rather annoyed he softened his expression as he sat beside Hashirama; even going so far as to take hold of his clinched hands. "I told you I'm not going anywhere. Stop worrying so much. It was just a dream and nothing more."

**To be continued...**

**A/N: Hey everyone. Finally I have a chapter I'm happy with. I wrote a rough draft of this one about a month ago and just wasn't satisfied. Hope this was worth the wait. Madara wouldn't make a good doctor with his bedside manner, but it's a start. Will Izuna's predictions come true, or will Hashirama's influence save our favorite Uchiha? Next chapter: More exciting stuff to come; including the Masked man finally putting his plan into action. Exciting stuff. Till next time. **


	12. Chapter 12

Hashirama's outburst caused an uproar throughout the Uchiha compound and just as the sentries were going to rush in to secure the area, Madara shifted his gaze from his still stunned lover to the entry way. The other Uchiha members blinked a few times in confusion when nothing seemed out of place aside from the Hokage's usual calming aura. The last thing the raven needed was others interfering with his affairs or even questioning the mental state of the village leader. Above all else the village needed to maintain a stable structure even if it was simply an illusion. Instantly he sent another glare in the direction of the guards who gulped in fear and immediately turned around and closed the door behind them. If nothing else it appeared as though Madara's facial features still had the strong ability to repeal anyone from his sight regardless of whose side they were on. A small sigh escaped his throat before he returned his glance at his nearly comatose partner. The stern expression melted away as Madara tried to lock eyes with Hashirama who was still trying to recover from the nightmare he experienced. Just having Madara near seemed to be enough to chase away the uncomfortable feelings reeling through the Senju's body. 'What on earth is the matter with him now? Hashirama has always been an emotional individual but this...'

Needless to say the recent events were troubling for both of them. Just the thought of Madara returning to a path of darkness was more than anything Hashirama could bare. At the same time Madara wanted nothing more than for Hashirama to be happy. All their lives both Hashirama and Madara have witnessed the hardships of war and everything associated with darkness. If they couldn't find peace together the two hoped that the other find a path leading to it eventually. Fortunately in the recent weeks the pair finally made progress on their dreams and changing the fate of the world. All Madara's thoughts on the matter were disrupted when he realized he was still half naked. A small sigh escaped his throat as he slowly moved to get some clothes but before he could get too far he felt Hashirama reach out and grab his arm. "Don't... go..." Madara blinked when he heard the still scared tone in Hashirama's voice. "Please stay... with me... Madara."

In that moment Madara wanted to shout and lecture him on the principles of reality but instead he let out a breath and turned his head to face Hashirama again. It went without saying that in that instant the once powerful Hashirama appeared to be nothing more than a wimpy teenager. "Move over I'll join you." Upon hearing conformation that Madara wasn't going anywhere Hashirama released his lover's arm and scooted over to the edge of the bed. Lightly Madara shook his head and climbed in to the center before laying down once again. Once he was comfortable he reached over and pulled Hashirama onto his bare chest and gently stroked his long locks. The longer the pair stayed in each other's embrace the more the calmness returned to their being. Hashirama's once quickened breath started to sync with Madara's and the raven's beating heart calmed the Senju's racing one. Madara leaned his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes finding the whole situation relaxing.

Even though the images Izuna shared with Hashirama were fading from his conscious mind those confusing thoughts still plagued him. "Madara... are you happy? I mean are you happy with how things are between us and the village?" Hashirama suddenly questioned thinking it would be better to confront the raven on the subject now than to let emotions fester and grow more destructive over time. Once again Madara was taken by surprise when Hashirama asked him about something that seemed rather obvious to everyone.

Carefully he repositioned Hashirama's head so he would be looking up at him before breaking a small smile. "Idiot, of course I am. What could possibly convince you otherwise?" There was no denying that the two were at odds nearly two weeks ago but the near death experience made Madara realize there was more to life than simply acquiring titles. A small frown appeared on Hashirama's face when he realized Madara turned the tables on him and was trying to get to the heart of what was on his mind. "That dream..." Hashirama muttered. Once again Madara felt annoyed that he would allow a dream to influence his thinking. Before he could open his mouth to rebut Hashirama, the Senju shook his head and continued after shaking off the hesitation that was preventing him from speaking his mind. "No, Madara... it wasn't just images cooked up by my imagination. I just...I just feel as though it is an omen."

Madara rose an eyebrow and blinked a few times feeling that Hashirama was being vague on purpose. "What made you come to that conclusion? Just what did you see?!" A defeated sigh escaped Hashirama's throat when he realized Madara wasn't going to just accept that and move on. If he truly wanted to get to the bottom of it he could use his ocular powers to get the answers Hashirama wouldn't utter on his own.

Finally Hashirama pulled himself upright and glanced over at Madara who was clearly getting slightly impatient to find out the truth. "Izuna... I saw Izuna in my dream. He warned me that the new powers you possess will drive you into darkness. I shudder to think that you'd destroy everything we've built with your own hands without any hesitation." As Hashirama recalled the scene of destruction a few tears started to swell up in his eyes which caused Madara to widen his own. "I'm just afraid that you'll find the pull of power more appealing than you find the love and friendship I have to offer you. I don't want to lose you! Not after what happened already! I DON'T WANT TO..." Before Hashirama could finish his statement Madara grabbed Hashirama and pulled him into a tight embrace. Madara didn't need to hear the words to verify the truth behind them. Knowing that alone was more than enough for the raven. "Shhh now. I promise... I won't leave your side."

Hashirama broke a smile and buried his face deeper into Madara's chest. "Ever?" A small chuckle escaped Madara's throat before nodding. "Never." While having more power was thrilling for Madara ultimately he wanted to keep his word to Izuna and protect the clan. Hearing the words directly from Madara's mouth put Hashirama in a better mood and ultimately chased away his anxieties.

"Madara-sama?" Suddenly came the voice of another Uchiha from the other side of the door. The Uchiha leader grumbled a little under his breath hoping whoever it was would give up and go away. After waiting a few moments the other again tried to get a response from the clan leader to the dismay of Madara. Even though Hashirama was disappointed that someone else got Madara's attention for a moment he was aware that his lover still had to deal with clan affairs. The elder shinobi just smiled and nodded giving Madara the ok to handle business elsewhere. As the other was just about to call for him a third time Madara turned his attention to the door and replied. "I heard you the first time. What is it?"

A small sweat drop slid down the Uchiha's face when he heard the slight annoyance in Madara's voice. He gulped before informing him that the clan meeting was just about to get underway and his presence was required. Ever since the Uchiha joined forces with the Senju to create the village, Madara grew to despise those meetings since most of the time no one listened to what he had to say. Regardless of his personal feelings it was his duty as clan leader to initiate the proceedings and to keep order between the individual members. "I'll be there shortly." After letting out another sigh Madara picked himself up off the bed and went into his closet to pull out his usual high necked jacket . He positioned a golden sash around his waist and flung his long black hair behind him before making his way to the door. "Speak of clan matters, shouldn't you be getting back to work? You don't think the village is going to run itself do you?"

Hashirama let out a small laugh before innocently rubbing his cheek. Even though he'd never say this but that lets get down to work attitude was exactly like Tobirama's. As much as those two hated one another they both knew how to get the free spirited Hashirama to get down to the task at hand. "Can't I just stay here for a while longer? You're bed is just so comfortable." Like a child he tried curling himself up within the blankets and looked rather content breathing in Madara's scent that lingered.

Madara's eye twitched in annoyance but internally he couldn't help but find the whole thing amusing. It never ceased to amaze him how Hashirama could wield such power but carry on like a child all at the same time. Of course someone had to be the adult in the room and unfortunately that task was left to the raven. "Get moving Senju, unless of course you'd rather me punish you all over again." While the statement made Hashirama think of some dirty things he could tell by Madara's aura that he was thinking something completely different. Being on the receiving end of the Uchiha's genjutsu or advanced ninjutsu for that matter was nothing he wanted to experience again. Needless to say he wasn't able to move properly in over a week when Madara was finished with him the last time. Hearing Hashirama get off the bed made Madara break another smile before he brushed aside the door and made his way to the clan's meeting place deep within the compound. While the meetings were typically routine Madara would soon discover that this one would be anything but.

Along the path to the clan's meeting place Madara wondered what topics would be up for discussion this time. During the last gathering tensions seemed to be on the rise about Madara's calls for defensive measures to protect the clan. Before the incident it became clear that the clan was considering ousting him from his current position and elect to have someone else lead them. While that may have been the case weeks ago, the simple fact they pulled together to get him a get well gift indicated perhaps they were willing to at least hear him out instead of simply burying the issue to live in denial. The raven stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at the shrine where the meetings were held. A concerned expression appeared on his features as he felt butterflies flutter in his chest. 'Pull yourself together!' He mentally shouted at himself. Madara took a deep breath before heading in to await the other clan members.

Immediately following Madara's entrance to the temple a familiar spiral formed in the middle of the court yard. Out of the void appeared the attacker everyone was searching for. "While the Senju is away the snake can play." The masked man shifted his attention back toward the path leading to the village and thought about his course of action. Feeding the seeds of Madara's own hatred was important before influence was spread throughout the entire clan. The last thing Tobi needed at this juncture was for someone to interfere with his strategy. In order to prevent that the masked shinobi pulled out several talismans and placed them in strategic points to erect a temporary barrier to keep the other clan members out until his private meeting with Madara could be concluded. With his preparations complete, Tobi turned on his heel and made his way into the meeting place.

Meanwhile Madara had lit the passage way to the gathering place and waited patiently for everyone to arrive. He stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed in an effort to center himself. Only moments later did Madara's ear twitch at the sound of footsteps echoing down the spiral staircase. Slowly he rose his head and opened his eyes to great the first to arrive on the scene. "Seems your injuries have healed up nicely. I'd expect nothing more from the legendary Uchiha Madara."

Instantly Madara reached down to his side to pull out a kunai and activated his sharingan recognizing the voice of individual as the one who attacked him several weeks ago. The steps grew louder and louder before the outline of his mask became visible in the flickering torch light. "You have a great deal of nerve showing up here. If you think you'll be able to finish what you started you are mistaken." Without any hesitation Madara flung the kunai straight for Tobi's right shoulder but had the same result as their previous fight. The weapon seemed to pass straight through him and buried itself in the wall behind him. An annoyed growl escaped Madara's throat as he glared down the masked man. "Who the HELL are you?!"

No matter the time or place people appeared to have the very same reaction when witnessing Tobi's powers. The cloaked figure shrugged off Madara's question and continued to glance at him through his mask unnerved by the situation. While Tobi was well aware that this Madara was at his prime it soon became obvious that he did not appear before the Uchiha leader to start a fight. "I'm no one, simply a being that sees the world as you do. I've come to speak to you about fate and present you with an opportunity to alter history itself."

Needless to say Madara wasn't particularly buying into the story the mysterious individual was spouting. A bit of laughter escaped his throat as he folded his arms and began to allow his chakra to swirl around him. "There's no need. Besides you are in no position to offer me anything of value. You shall not be leaving here with your life, one way or another. Now you'll understand the folly of your ways by not finishing me when you had the opportunity."

A sigh escaped Tobi's throat when he realized Madara was still Madara. Even when they first meet the elder Uchiha always wanted to throw his power around and manipulate things to work in his favor. Making Madara listen to what he had to say wouldn't be as simple as he first thought. "The clan is preoccupied at the moment." Outside the temple the rest of the clan found themselves unable to pass through the arch to get through the building. Madara glanced up upon hearing the shouts of his fellow clansmen as they attempted to break through and get to their leader's side. Another annoyed growl escaped Madara's throat as he formed a fist at his side. "If you so much as harm one hair on ANY of their heads I swear...!" Madara shouted. Threatening him directly was one thing but involving his clan in their struggle was something entirely different.

Tobi was please that he finally had Madara's full attention. He doubted that the Uchiha leader would make any false moves with the well being of his clansmen in the balance. Feeling his position has been fortified the masked man continued what he was saying. "For now it's just the two of us. Senju power or not I'm more than capable of countering your every move for I know you better than you think. Hear me out and then make your decision." Madara wasn't sure if the individual before him was just spouting nonsense but given the stakes he decided to play things cool. If the mysterious man really wanted to kill him, Madara was certain he would have made his move by now. The elder man took another deep breath and relaxed before again leaning up against the wall to listen to his story.

The win seemed to be in Tobi's favor for the moment but as he already knew, Madara would be Madara. At many moment he could decide to change his mind and go on the offensive again. Only by presenting a strong enough case would he achieve his goal. "Are you content with things as they are? The once feared Uchiha Madara living in the shadow of Senju Hashirama." Again Madara was taken aback by the question. Everyone around him seemed to believe that he was displeased with how things turned out. While there were elements about the current situation he'd like to see change the basic premise at the center of it all was just what he was looking for. Supporting his lover and being in a position to protect the clan was all that mattered. The silence between them gave Tobi conformation of this belief which caused him to let out a small breath. "This stagnation will leave you with nothing. History itself will simply forget about you. While the simple mention of your name will drive fear into the hearts of your fellow shinobi... the contributions you provided... the sacrifices you made will be forgotten."

For a long time now Madara had felt that the world would leave behind his legacy in the time of war. In the current age all clans were looking toward piece. Ultimately it made sense for the contributions of an individual out for nothing but war to be forgotten. The raven had seen that first hand with the legacy of his own father. No one talked about what he did in the past and he understood the day would come when that fate would fall to him as well. "As long as the village thrives, the clan carries on and Hashirama gets the happiness he deserves I could care less how the history books recall myself."

Knowing that those three things were Madara's driving force Tobi knew exactly where to head with his speech to push Madara into acting. To emphasis the seriousness of what he was talking about, Tobi changed the tone of his voice. "That's just the issue. NONE of that will be realized." A rather shocked expression appeared on Madara's face. Behind Tobi's mask a smirk appeared on his features. He had Madara exactly where he wanted him. "Thus is the reason for my attack on you. In order to change that you needed the power to prevent all the calamities that are ahead. Only you can weed out the cancer that will destroy the very dream you fought so long for."

Clearly Madara didn't want to be swayed by honeyed words but deep down he felt the other was speaking the truth. From the beginning Madara suspected that Tobirama would be the one reasonable for eliminating the Uchiha. Even though he once had feelings for his younger brother it was clear he didn't feel those same connections with anyone else. "You expect me to believe that Hashirama would allow for such a thing to happen?" Although the Senju and Uchiha were old enemies dating back as far as both clan's existed Madara knew that his partner wouldn't allow anything to happen to them. All shinobi who called Konoha home were a part of him and any attacks on them were personal.

Tobi was not surprised by Madara's reluctance to believe his claims. Aside from Madara there wasn't a single soul who could rival Hashirama in battle. It seemed unlikely that anyone would be able to topple him. Even though that fact was true, Tobi knew twisting the truth a little could continue to push Madara in the direction he wanted. "Senju Hashirama won't be alive to do anything about it." In that moment Madara felt as though a sharp object has pierced his heart. While he knew everyone had to die someday hearing it didn't make him feel any better. Before he could ask who was responsible Tobi continued on with his explanation. "That woman... Uzumaki Mito is responsible for his death. With her sealing jutsu she weakened Hashirama enough to leave him in a disadvantage in a battle against a rival village. In the end she..."

Before he could finish his statement he once again saw Madara's chakra swirl around him as his anger began to rise. Not only was he annoyed that his lover would lower his guard but to be tricked by a woman no less. He had welcomed her into his home and he didn't consider for a moment that she was out to destroy him. "Mito isn't the only threat Hashirama chooses to keep by his side. There is also his brother Tobirama. His influence will have lasting implications for the clan none of them positive. That animosity of his will cause a civil war which will wipe out the clan but also this village. With his own hands he'll continue where his father left off..."

"ENOUGH!" Madara shouted. No matter what it took, Madara wasn't going to allow any of that to happen. Regardless if it was true or not. Tobi couldn't be happier seeing Madara's reaction. He didn't know if the Uchiha leader would take what he said seriously but ultimately he didn't care as long as history was changed and Madara achieved what he wanted from the beginning. Before he could become victim to Madara's anger he started to teleport away. "Consider what I've said. Act how you will but remember inaction will only lead to destruction."

A heavy sigh escaped Madara's throat as he gazed out into the emptiness of the room. Nothing good has come out of the appearance of the mysterious individual and the more he thought about his words the more disturbed he became. Another serious expression appeared on his features as he made up his mind. "I will protect Hashirama no matter what it takes. Even if I have to become the devil himself I will assure his happiness."

**To be continued...**

**A/N: Hey everyone. I'm finally back with a brand new chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. Both Madara and Hashirama have received warnings about the future but can either do anything for the betterment of the other? Or will everything come crashing down around them? Only time will tell for sure. Don't forget to review. Till next time.**


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